Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?
by ThatOtherWriterGirl
Summary: Sure, Fili was drunk as a skunk, and he did have a very vivid imagination. Yet neither one of these reasons seemed to explain what a pretty young dam was doing…sleeping in his bed! Whatever is a dwarf to do when that happens?
1. Chapter 1

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 **Hello my fellow Fili fans! I'm back!**

 **Here is a little something that had been pinging around in my mind for a while. In fact I began writing this story before Little Son of Durin, but put it on hold to write that 'tale of unusual size' first. So now its back to a bit of fun and fluff.**

 **I do hope you enjoy it.**

This story is owned solely by me, and due to copyright laws, I request that you please _do not_ copy or reproduce any of my stories, or translate them into other languages. I thank you for any interest in doing so, but I must respectfully decline.

Thank you.

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 ** _All Rights Reserved_**

 ** _Copyright © 2019_**

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 **Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?**

 **Chapter 1**

 **~X~**

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Fili was not sure he had ever drunk so much ale in his life. Well, perhaps he had, but at the moment he could not recall when or where. It had been a wonderful night, a true evening of celebration. Not only had they retaken Erebor less than six months ago, his mother, Dis, had just come from Ered Luin, along with a great caravan of other dwarves returning to their mountain home. Her arrival had long been anticipated by Fili and his brother, Kili, as well as their uncle Thorin. It had been a very long time since the Durin princess had set foot inside the Lonely Mountain, and thus, the event _had_ to be celebrated.

Only moments after her entrance into Erebor, Thorin and her sons had swept her off to the banquet room where a grand event was being held in her honor. There was feasting, dancing, merry-making, and plenty of drinking. It was there that both Fili and Kili had overindulged, allowing the ale to flow like the River-Running. Dis, though appreciative of the gala her family had thrown in her honor, and more than overjoyed to see her sons and brother again, had at last been forced to retire for the evening, explaining that her trip had been a trying one. The teary-eyed dwarrowdam had kissed each of them on the cheek multiple times, before retiring to her prepared chambers for the night - leaving the three dwarves she loved most in the world to continue their revelry.

And Fili and Kili had made the most of it.

In the wee hours of the morning, the two young princes were weaving their way down the hallway, each still holding half empty mugs of ale in one hand while their free arms were slung over each other's shoulder, both for support and comradery. Thankfully there were not very many dwarves still up at that hour, so other than the guards stationed around the mountain's many passages – who had long since come to expect such antics from the not so noble duo - the brothers went mostly unnoticed. As they neared the royal chambers, passing the stone faced guard stationed at the bottom of the stairs, Fili placed his finger to his lips and let out a very loud hiss.

"Shhhh, Kili," he told his younger brother, his voice somewhat slurred. "Stop making so much noise or you will wake Amad, and then we'll both catch it for sure."

"Me?" Kili objected, looking shocked at his accusation. "I'm being as quiet as a mouse! While you, and your clomping footsteps, sound more like a wild ram wearing chainmail and spiked boots!"

"You are mistaken," Fili shook his head, pointing his mug at his brother accusingly. "I have been training to be stealthy far longer than you have been alive. You are the one who is too loud!"

"Let's ask the guard, he will tell us," Kili suggested, turning around and making a strange sound with his lips, attempting to get the dwarf's attention. When the sentry finally realized what Kili was trying to do, he turned around with a confused look on his face, eyeing the two curiously. "You there...Nali, isn't it? Tell us…who is the more silent of the two? Me, or my brother? I believe it is me, of course, but Fili is under the impression that I am wrong. Which I am not, but he thinks so."

The poor guard looked from one to the other, thinking in the back of his mind that he could probably say anything and the two drunk princes would not remember half of it - or much else for that matter - come morning. Yet, not wishing to take the chance, Nali answered quite diplomatically.

"I would have to say that you are both being equally quiet at the moment, Your Majesties," he assured them, giving a slight bow. Of course, he would never say that he felt the two were being equally loud, and far from stealthy.

"See…he agrees with me! I am the most silent!" Kili said triumphantly, having heard nothing but what he wished to hear, even if that was not what the guard had said. He then slapped Fili on the back so hard, that some of his ale spilled onto the floor.

" _Caragu_!" Fili cursed in Khuzdul, more distressed by the lost spirits than Kili's apparent victory. "And I'd been trying so hard to be quiet too!" His mind being so addled that he had not apparently heard a word Nali had said either.

"Better luck next time, brother," Kili told him, putting his arm around his shoulders and helping him up the stairs before steering him towards the doors to their rooms.

Nali just shook his head and watched them go. The two princes were known for their jokes, antics, and general tomfoolery, yet he also knew that no other dwarves were as loyal to their king, or as brave in battle. He could easily forgive a bit of overindulgence, especially on such a momentous occasion as this, after having heard of the brothers' great deeds during the taking of Erebor. So turning back, he resumed his duty on the night watch.

The two inebriated princes arrived at Kili's room first and after a few unsuccessful tries, they got the door open and the younger brother gave a goofy wave before stumbling inside and shutting it behind him. That left Fili alone to maneuver his way to his own chambers, stopping once or twice to take a few more swigs of his ever dwindling mug of ale. He too made it inside, and kicked off his boots in the living quarters before heading for his bedroom. Thankfully, that door was open so he only had to nudge it slightly with his shoulder in order to enter. Moonlight from the crystal shafts cut into the stone of the mountain, illuminated the chamber and allowed him to see his way clearly as he headed for the bed.

However, Fili only made it to the foot-board when something stopped him cold. He stared unblinking for a moment, then shook his head, doing his best to clear his alcohol soaked mind. Yet both actions did not change the fact that there seemed to be someone already sleeping in his bed…and that someone appeared to be a lass! Fili glanced from side to side, checking to make sure he had not accidentally stumbled into the wrong room. No, all his possessions were there; his weapons, his clothes, even the few mementos he had collected after their quest to take the mountain had proven successful. But if this was indeed his room…what was _she_ doing here?

Taking a step closer, the golden-haired prince did his best to analyze the sleeping maid, or at least what little he could see of her in the faint moonlight. She appeared to be young, perhaps a few years his junior, with jet black hair that cascaded down over her shoulder and spilled onto the crisp white sheets covering her lower half. She had an adorable button nose, not a long or prominent one sported by most of his race, and rosy pink lips that were slightly parted in sleep. Her figure was partially obscured by the blankets, yet he could still imagine that it was just as appealing as the rest of her. Yes, indeed, this was quickly proving to be a rather tantalizing situation.

Yet what shocked Fili most was the fact that things like this normally did _not_ happen to him. Being older than Kili, and the crown prince, Fili was expected to be the more serious minded and the level headed of the two. Pretty dwarrowdams, like the one lying before him, usually pursued his flirtatious younger brother, not him. If there was a tale to tell of a female sneaking into the bed of one of the two princes, everyone would automatically assume it would be Kili's good fortune, not Fili's. Yet here she was, curled up beneath _his_ blankets, with her soft midnight tresses resting on _his_ pillow.

 _How very strange._

As he continued to stand there, doing his best to figure out who she was and how she came to be in his bed, Fili could feel his body begin to react to the whole idea. As drunk as he was, he was a bit surprised that he could feel anything at all below his neck, but just the thought of having a enticing young dwarrowdam in his chambers was heating up his libido. Unfortunately, before he could thoroughly enjoy the sensation, he began to sway just a bit. Reaching out he steadied himself by grabbing hold of the foot-board, barely avoiding spilling the last of his ale. Now _that_ would have been a real tragedy!

Returning his focus to the bed, Fili decided that he had never seen this particular lass before, yet he knew he would never forget her either. There were precious few female dwarves in Middle Earth to begin with, and only a handful of them had chosen to migrate to Erebor from the Iron Hills and Ered Luin. Perhaps this lass had come with the caravan that brought his mother, along with the many dwarves who wished to journey back to their lost homeland. If that was the case, Fili would be more than happy to welcome her to the great kingdom of Erebor with open arms!

Yet, it was rather odd that her face would be _completely_ unfamiliar to him, especially since he and Kili had grown up in The Blue Mountains, knowing just about every dwarf and dwarrowdam there was, young or old. Still, Fili could not deny the fact that she was there, directly in front of him, sound asleep in his bed.

Now that it appeared his addled mind had at last come to terms with her presence, the next issue Fili felt he needed to address, was what action he should take. As a prince, and a member of the royal family, the chivalrous thing to do would be to gently wake her, inquire of her business, and escort her back to where she belonged. Yet the young and passion-filled side of him much preferred the idea of stripping down to nothing, climbing into the bed, and introducing himself to her… _repeatedly!_

Faced with this perplexing dilemma, Fili decided the best thing to do was think on it a little longer, preferably sitting down, for his head was beginning to spin and his legs were turning to jelly. So taking a few steps back, he fell into the chair located behind him, once more almost spilling the contents of his mug.

Thinking it wise to simply finish it off, so as not to risk wasting a drop, he put the decanter to his lips and drank the remainder down in a few swift gulps. There, now that the safety of his ale was no longer a pressing concern, Fili could give his full attention to the maiden at hand… _the one in his bed_. Staring at her a little longer he could feel his eyes begin to droop, and his limbs becoming increasingly heavy. Despite the unimaginable opportunity that lay before him, it did not take long for the young prince to doze off, his head tipping back against the chair and the empty mug slipping from his fingers, falling to the floor with a loud clunk.

Fili was now officially dead to the world.

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Jade, however, was instantly roused by the unfamiliar sound, her eyes popping open as she sat up in bed. Yet looking around, she suddenly realized it was not _her_ bed at all! No, she was somewhere else entirely! Pulling the blankets up around her chin she searched the room for anything familiar, something that might give her a clue as to where she was.

"Oh, Mahal, not again!" she moaned, realizing that she must have been sleepwalking. While this had been a recurring theme during her early childhood, the last time she recalled it happening was the first few weeks after showing up at the gates of Ered Luin - in search of her kind, and a future to call her own. Now it was happening again, more than likely brought on by the stress of the relocation and the newness of her surroundings. Jade only hoped it would not last long, and that she could somehow find a way to stay in her own room at night…assuming she could now ever find her way back at all.

Quietly slipping out of the bed, she headed for the door, yet her body froze in place when she realized she was not alone in the room. There, to the left of her, slumped over in a chair and sound asleep, was an unknown dwarf! And not just _any_ dwarf…a young and very handsome one! Jade felt her breath catch in her throat as she stared at him, strangely mesmerized by each line and feature of his attractive face. Even in the darkness she could see that his hair was a rich golden blond, matching his interesting mustache braids and slight beard. It was an uncommon color for dwarves, the majority she had met thus far sported darker hair or perhaps red tones – unless they were very old and had already turned grey.

Jade found his look to be very appealing, and could not seem to take her eyes off of her slumbering companion. He was not attired like a dwarf of high station, nor was he slovenly dressed either, wearing a rather plain blue tunic with a very utilitarian looking belt and trousers. His boots appeared to be of good quality, but which had obviously seen many roads and much travel. All in all, he was everything a young dwarrowdam might find appealing, and she couldn't help but let her eyes rake over him approvingly.

She wondered if he had perhaps already been asleep when she had arrived, questioning if he might not even know she had somehow stumbled into his private chambers. Jade could only hope this was true, and should they ever meet again, he would not give her a second glance. Yet as she continued to stare, Jade began to feel as if she knew him…or that she had seen him someplace before. No, that was foolish, for he had not been with the caravan that came from Ered Luin, and she had certainly never set eyes on any dwarf who already resided within Erebor. Besides, if she had ever met _this_ handsome dwarf before…she was positive _that_ memory would have been indelibly etched in her mind.

Coming back to her senses, Jade realized that she was wasting precious time, and needed to focus on getting out of there. So, creeping out as quietly as she could, she left him sleeping soundly at the foot of the bed, and hastened towards the exit. Once she made it to the hallway, Jade was thankfully able to get her bearings. It appeared that she had not gone far, for she was still stationed in the royal wing, the door that housed her small room clearly visible from where she now stood. This was a good thing since she was only clad in her nightgown, apparently not having had the presence of mind to slip on her bed jacket before taking her unscheduled midnight stroll.

Suddenly, the realization of where she was caused her to spin around, her hand raising to cover her mouth as she let loose a gasp of shock. If she was still in the section of the mountain that housed the royal family, that would mean the room she just left could only belong to… _Prince Fili!_ Now she understood why he had seemed so familiar to her, for Lady Dis had shown Jade the small portraits of both her sons many times, speaking of them often while they had been on their long and dangerous quest. The young dwarrowdam had never met either prince in person, for apparently they had left to reclaim Erebor just before she had arrived at Ered Luin, missing their departure by only a few weeks.

Now Jade truly prayed that she had stumbled in _after_ he had already fallen asleep, keeping her presence unknown to him, or anyone else. For she would surely die of embarrassment if her nocturnal wanderings were ever made public, causing her untold humiliation. So as quickly as she could, Jade crossed the hallway and scooted back inside her room, shutting the door and leaning up against it with a sigh of relief.

Now if she could only find a way to stop herself from walking in her sleep again! Getting an idea, she swiftly located the key to the lock and turned it securely, effectively trapping herself inside. There was a sliding bolt as well, one that would have been perfectly fine for keeping others out but did very little to keep her _in_ when it was easily opened from the inside. However, by using the key, and then putting it in a location that would require some effort to retrieve, this might hopefully deter her from escaping a second time. Scanning the dimly lit room, Jade spotted the perfect hiding place, and after pulling a small stool over to the bookcase, she tucked the large brass key inside a vase on the very top shelf. She was almost certain she would wake up before she was able to get the key and let herself out a second time!

Pleased by her efforts, Jade replaced the stool against the wall and crawled back into her own bed, burrowing under the covers as she stared up at the ceiling. She knew it must be very late, but after all the excitement of waking up in a strange dwarf's bedroom, sleep alluded her. She wondered if she should mention any of this to the Lady Dis, for she was, after all, both a princess and her employer. The regal dwarrowdam had been nothing but kind to her since the first day she arrived at the Blue Mountains in search of her own kind. And over the past year, the two had grown quite close, enjoying a friendship that went beyond that of a maid and her mistress.

Dis had been very understanding when Jade was caught sleepwalking during her first few weeks in her employment, and she was certain that the princess would be no less sympathetic now. Yet if she could somehow get away with _no one_ knowing of her wanderings, she would feel so much better. Especially since it was the crown prince's bedchambers she had found herself in - the very son of the woman she was currently serving. How would _that_ appear? If anyone were to find out, they would automatically assume that she was vying for Prince Fili's attention! Wantonly throwing herself at him like some shameless, eager lass looking to snag a wealthy husband. No, this would be something Jade would keep to herself at all costs!

Rolling over on her side, her hand slid up to grasp the small pendant that hung around her neck on a thin piece of cord, running her thumb over the dwarf runes carved in the smooth stone. She had long ago learned what they said, but she always wished she understood what they _meant._ The necklace she was found with had been engraved with the words, 'My Little Jewel', yet offering no clue as to her identity. Even her name, Jade, had been given to her by her adoptive parents, Ursa and Gunnar, the kindly couple from the race of men who had found her that fateful day, and taken her in as a mere infant.

It was times like these that she missed them terribly, the two having eventually passed away from old age. Being a dwarf, raised in a village of men, had caused quite a few stares, yet both Ursa and Gunnar had loved her dearly, and she in turn them, and eventually Jade had been accepted by most. Her size had always been an issue, as well as the slower rate with which she aged, causing all her childhood friends to race past her in terms of maturity. By the time she had barely reached the age that was considered no longer a child by her kind, the youngsters she had played with were grown adults with children, and often grandchildren, of their own. This had always caused Jade to feel somewhat abandoned and left behind, though her adoptive parents had been more than empathetic and understanding to her feelings. Yet even through the trials of growing up, she had never desired to leave the safe little village she had been raised in. That is, until both her aged parents had peacefully passed on, eventually causing her thoughts to turn to her own kind… _the dwarves._

And now, here she was, ensconced in the greatest of all the dwarf kingdoms, Erebor…yet all she could think about was her little wooden home between the Dunlands and the Gap of Rohan. Life in the village, near the Fords of Isen, had not always been peaceful, for occasionally bands of orcs and goblins would make their way out of the mountains and raid the many settlements in the area. But her father, Gunnar, and the other men of their clan, were brave fighters and had kept the dangers at bay. Often, times had not been easy, yet overall they had been pleasant and fulfilling – ones Jade looked back upon with fondness.

And so it was, with these happy memories dancing around in her mind, Jade succumbed to a very peaceful, and uneventful, sleep at last.

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 **OH dear! What will Fili remember come morning?**

 **What will Jade do...tell Dis, or keep it to herself?**

 **To find out, be sure to hit 'follow story' and keep an eye out for my next chapter!**

 **Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

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 **Awww, so nice to see so many familiar screen names! What a nice welcome back!**

 **All your kind reviews has spurred me on to writing faster, and while I always keep a nice stockpile of finished chapters on hand for 'non-pressure-posting' I plan on only putting up a new chapter as I finish writing another new one. And LOOK...I got one done today...so here you go!**

 **Now, let's see what Fili remembers...shall we?**

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 **Chapter 2**

 **~X~**

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"Fili?" came a voice through the haze, pulling him from his slumber and into the glaringly painful reality which was the morning. Oh, his head hurt! "Fili…time to wake up."

"Go away, Kili," the grumpy dwarf moaned, squeezing his eyes closed all the harder as he felt his brother shaking him. "Leave me alone to die in peace."

"As much as I wish I could, Amad has summoned us to her chambers for breakfast," his younger sibling announced. "And I don't know about you, but I for one do not wish to get on her bad side less than a day after her return."

Fili gave another low moan as he opened his eyes and forced himself to focus on Kili.

"How is it that you drank just as much as I did and you look as fresh as a daisy?" he questioned, struggling to even sit up without the world spinning around him. "How do you do it?"

"Positive thinking, a healthy diet, and clean living, Brother," the dark-haired prince laughed.

Fili knew full well that both of them were only prone to perhaps one of the virtues he had mentioned. Still, he could always count on his younger brother to put a cheery spin on things.

"Now, get up and bathe quickly, or mother will come looking for you, and probably stand outside your door just to make sure you washed behind your ears," Kili warned.

This made Fili chuckle slightly, an action he quickly regretted as it caused his head to pound even more.

"I would hope that since you and I have traveled across Middle Earth, battled with orcs, goblins, giant spiders, and a dragon…not to mention fought in a war with five armies, Mother might begin to treat us like adults and not her little lads anymore," Fili mused, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands for a moment, gearing up to rise at last.

"Not a chance," Kili said with a firm shake of his head. "Amad will forever see us as her little dwarflings, even when we are old and grey, and our beards are brushing the floor."

"First you would have to _grow_ a beard, Nadadith," Fili teased, laughing once again as he looked up in time to see his brother stick his tongue out at his harmless jest.

"It still wouldn't help," Kili said with a sigh. "The only way our mother will ever see us as adults, is when we give her grandchildren, and I do not see myself doing _that_ any time soon," he stated, before glancing back at his brother questioningly. "Hey, why were you sleeping in that chair? You do have a perfectly good bed, you know. Why not use it?"

It was then that Fili's eyes fell upon the aforementioned piece of furniture, causing his eyes to open wide as a certain memory flooded back to him.

"Because there was a dwarrowdam in it!" Fili blurted out, standing up as he took a few steps closer, his mind conjuring up visions of the maiden he was certain had lain there the night before.

"Well then, you must really have been drunk, Brother. For in my book, that would be even _more_ of a reason to have slept in your bed!" Kili laughed, imagining that his older sibling was simply recalling a dream he had.

"No, I'm serious," Fili insisted. "Look, the bed's been slept in, has it not?"

"Yes, by you, I'm sure," he said in response.

"Yet if I _had_ used the bed, why did you find me here in the chair?" came Fili's sound reasoning. "And you know that all the beds in the royal wing were made up in anticipation of Amad's arrival. So if _I_ didn't sleep in the bed, then someone had to…and I say it was the stunning dwarrowdam I saw in there last night!"

"You mean you're _not_ joking?" Kili questioned, looking a bit less skeptical.

"Would I jest about something like that?" Fili demanded, appearing deadly serious.

Eyeing his brother as if he was still not sure if he was serious, or simply recalling a drunken fantasy, Kili walked over and grabbed the pillow, bringing it up to his nose and inhaling deeply.

"Vanilla," he muttered, pressing it to his face a second time. "Vanilla and…roses?"

"There, that proves it!" Fili stated. "When have I ever smelled like those things?"

"True…you usually smell like sweat, pipe weed, and ale," Kili muttered, eyeing the rumpled bedsheets with intrigue. "So what did she look like?" he asked, now very interested in the details. "And what was she doing in _your_ bed, of all places?"

"I have no idea," he told him with an amazed shake of his head. "But she had long raven hair, and a beautiful face, the likes of which I have never seen, nor will I quickly forget. I had intended to wake her and ask her purpose for being here, but I must have fallen asleep before I could muster up the boldness to do so. And now she's gone." The last statement brought a frown to the young prince's face.

"So, let me get this straight," Kili stated, crossing his arms and looking at his brother with a glare of annoyance. "You came back to your room to find a pretty little lass in your bed, _and you did nothing about it?_ You disappoint me, brother! How am I expected to emulate you when you let a golden opportunity like this slip through your fingers? And Uncle Thorin believes that _you_ are worthy to be king one day? Unbelievable!"

"Hey!" Fili interjected, a bit miffed by Kili's accusations. "And just what would you have done, Nadadith?"

"Oh, I would have done a lot more than simply passing out on a nearby chair, I can guarantee you that!" he told him, giving a wide grin and waggling of his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. "I must ask, why was such a bit of fortune wasted on you? More than likely, you would have carried on a friendly conversation with her and then politely escorted her out of your room and back to her own."

Fili blushed slightly, recalling that he had planned to do exactly that last night, even if it had not been the first idea that had occurred to him.

"Well, it hardly matters now what I would have done, the lass is gone and I have no idea who she was, why she was here, or where I can find her again," Fili stated with a heavy sigh. If she had been only a dream, he might have been content to put the whole thing out of his mind…but knowing she had been real was going to torment him until he knew the truth.

"Maybe we can put Nori on the case?" Kili suggested, rubbing his stubbly chin in thought. "He's good at finding things, especially things that should _not_ be found… _or taken."_

"Perhaps," Fili nodded, at last heading for the washroom as he began to strip off his rumpled clothes. "Give me just a few minutes and I'll be ready to go to breakfast. Like you said, we best not keep Amad waiting."

"All right," Kili said, sitting down in the chair his brother had vacated. He then raised his voice and shouted towards the half closed door. "And don't forget to wash behind your ears!"

His order was met with a loud grumble and the slamming of the door, causing Kili to burst into laughter.

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Meanwhile, over in Dis' room, Jade was setting out dishes for her mistress' breakfast companions, her hands practically shaking from nervousness. When she had been informed that both Fili and Kili were joining their mother for the morning meal, she had panicked. Thankfully, Dis showed no signs of noticing the odd behavior of her lady's maid.

"If I know my sons, and I think I do, they will have drunk far too much last night and will both be late for breakfast," the older dwarrowdam said with a slight chuckle. It was obvious that she had missed both Fili and Kili very much, and was anxious to see them again and catch up on all they had been through. "Do what you can to keep the food warm until they arrive and then you are free for the rest of the morning while I visit with them," she informed the lass as she busied herself getting ready.

Dis was very independent, and could easily take care of herself, leading Jade to quickly realize that she had most likely taken her on only out of concern for her wellbeing, and not due to any great need. The princess had been the first person to welcome her upon arriving at Ered Luin, when most of the other dwarves had looked at her with suspicion. Jade supposed that a lone female appearing out of the wild with no knowledge of her family, and no one to speak for her, had been a bit odd. Yet she had left her childhood village in hopes that by returning to her own kind, she might find answers to her past. This had proven unsuccessful, for no one knew anything about her or the ones Ursa and Gunnar had described as her possible parents. And all she had to go on was the small pendant that hung around her neck…and even _that_ had proven disappointing.

However, Jade enjoyed working for Dis, and the affection and acceptance the stately princess had shown her had not gone unreturned. She had grown rather attached to the older dwarrowdam over the past year, and when Dis had informed Jade of her desire to return to Erebor, she had agreed to follow her without hesitation. For in her heart, Dis was now the closest thing to family she had…all except a couple cousins through her foster parents. But one had recently remarried, leaving her not time to spend on Jade, and the other had ridden off to join the armies of Rohan over a year ago, and she had not heard from him since. So, for good or bad, Jade had been forced to make new acquaintances and form new ties, which she had happily done with the Lady Dis.

Heading back into the small kitchen area, Jade placed another few lumps of coal into the belly of the cookstove, attempting to regulate the temperature in order to keep the breakfast warm. Upon arriving the previous day, Jade had been mightily impressed with the layout of the apartments afforded to the royal family. Each one supposedly had similar amenities, including a kitchen, a sitting room, another room that could serve as an office, the bedchambers, and of course their own private bath that sported hot and cold running water. On their way to Erebor, Dis had explained the marvels of dwarf ingenuity, and how pipes and slues had been incorporated throughout the mountain long ago, making wonders such as these possible.

The small room allotted to Jade had a connecting door that led to Dis' living quarters, allowing her to tend to her mistress whenever she was needed, yet the exit that led directly to the hallway afforded her a measure of independence as well. All in all, the young dwarrowdam was very impressed, and a bit overcome, by the opulence of it all, having never been surrounded by such grandeur in all her life.

When Jade heard the knock at the door, she felt her body freeze. The princes had arrived! She fretted about whether she would be required to admit them, but a quick call from the other room told her that Dis was not about to stand on formality, and had gone to answer it herself. Jade knew she would eventually have to come out and present herself, if for no other reason than to serve the breakfast, and she could not help but fear the outcome. Would Fili by chance remember her…or was the truth of her nighttime wanderings to be kept a blessed secret?

.

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"There you are!" Dis greeted her sons as they both stepped into the room, pulling them to her as she gave them both a big hug and kiss on the cheek. "Come, sit! For we have so much to catch up on. I'm sorry I had to retire so early last night, but I fear that I'm not as young as I used to be, and all that travel had worn me out."

"What nonsense is this, Amad?" Fili asked, taking her hand as he guided her over to the small table that had obviously been set up for dining. "You're as young and fresh as ever, and the most beautiful dwarrowdam in all the seven kingdoms."

"Not to mention the kindest and most forgiving," Kili added, their words causing a blush to spread over their mother's proud face.

"You are only saying that so that I will not scold you further for being so late," Dis laughed, reaching out to cup her younger son's cheek affectionately.

"It was all Fili's fault," Kili insisted, earning a glare from his brother. "He apparently drank too much and it was near impossible to get him up and going this morning. Not to mention the little surprise he found when he got back to his room."

"Oh? What might that have been?" Dis asked, picking up the pot in front of her and filling their cups with tea.

"Nothing, Amad," Fili assured her. "It was nothing. Kili's just trying to stir up trouble, as usual."

Dis smiled and nodded, deciding to not press the matter any further, even though she could easily see that her oldest son was hiding something. A mother could always tell.

"I hope you're hungry," she began, before stopping to laugh at her own words. "What am I saying, of course you two are hungry! When have you ever _not_ been?" It warmed her heart to know that she could once again dote on them both, especially after spending so many sleepless nights worrying that she might never see them again. The journey to reclaim Erebor had been fraught with dangers, the fire breathing dragon having been her greatest fear of all. However, she had never anticipated her lads being forced to engage in a war that encompassed five armies. She had acquired a few more grey hairs when the ravens had delivered _that_ particular piece of distressing news. Yet, by the grace of Mahal, they, along with Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and the rest of the company, had lived to tell the tale. Dis realized that all too soon she would be back to schooling her wayward sons over the mischief they constantly seemed to get into, but for now, she only wanted to keep them close and shower them with love. "Jade has been keeping the food warm until you arrived, but if you'd taken much longer, it might have ceased being edible."

"Jade?" Fili asked, taking a sip of the tea she had poured. "Who might that be?"

"My new lady's maid. She traveled with me from Ered Luin," Dis explained, realizing that she too had some interesting tales to tell.

"I thought you decided long ago to do without a maid?" Kili spoke up. "If I recall, after old Mela passed on, you swore you would never take one on again."

"That's true, I did say that," their mother nodded. "For it seemed that if the maid was young, I would only just get her trained before some lovesick dwarf would make a petition for her hand. Then off she would go to care for her own home, husband, and children, leaving me to start all over again. And if I were to choose one who was past her prime and no longer cared about looking for a mate, in the end I would be the one taking care of her! It also seemed rather foolish to have one, for I'm more than capable of lacing up my own dress and fixing my hair. Yet, Jade is different, and taking her on as my maid seemed the best way to help the young lass acclimate herself to our ways and customs, for she knew very little of dwarves when she arrived at the mountains."

"Jade is not a typical dwarf name," Fili pointed out, his brows pursing together in concern. "And what do you mean, she's different? Is she not of our kind? I don't think Uncle will agree to you housing a non-dwarf within the halls of Erebor. While he has recently grown somewhat tolerant of the race of men, and in a very small way, that of the elves, our king is far from ready to invite them to _live_ within the mountain."

"Fili, do you honestly think me ignorant to Thorin's stubborn and pigheaded ways?" Dis all but laughed. "I know good and well that my cantankerous brother would threaten to toss me into the dungeons were I to bring a non-dwarf into Erebor!"

"I would like to see him try and place you anywhere you did not wish to go," Kili snorted, knowing just how easily his mother could put Thorin in _his_ place.

"Well, regardless," Dis nodded, appreciative of her son's vote of confidence, "I can fully assure you that Jade _is_ a dwarrowdam. Here, allow me to prove it." With that she called out towards the kitchen door, using the lass' name and bidding her to come forth.

.

.

From where she had been sitting in the kitchen, Jade could hear that Dis and her sons were talking, but she had been unable to catch any of the words. However, she could now easily recognize her mistress' voice as she called her by name. Deciding that she could not simply ignore the summons, Jade reluctantly extracted the food from the oven and placed it on the large serving tray, knowing it was time to bring it in.

 _"Well, here goes nothing,"_ she whispered to herself, praying that the next few moments would not bring an end to her dignity…or her employment.

Jade nudged the door open with her shoulder and stepped into the room, doing her best not to make eye contact with either prince as she dutifully brought the tray over to the small table.

"Your breakfast, My Lady," she said in a quiet voice, doing all she could not to bring any undue attention to herself. She hoped Dis would quickly dismiss her, allowing her to escape the room and go about her duties…yet that did not happen.

"Jade, may I present my sons, Fili and Kili," Dis introduced. "Fili, Kili, this is Jade, my lady's maid."

The young dwarrowdam heard the scraping of chairs and knew that both brothers had stood respectfully, leaving her with no choice but to raise her eyes in order to acknowledge them. As she did, Jade was presented with two very different reactions. The younger of the two, the dark-haired Kili, was grinning from ear to ear and giving off a very happy and joyful air. Dis had always called Kili her happy little Bâhzundushuh, a word she was told meant _raven_ in Khuzdul, the secret language of the dwarves…something she was still attempting to learn. Now that she had met him in person, Jade could understand why, easily seeing how Kili resembled the sleek bird with dark feathers and keen eyes. For he too had raven black hair and a brilliant sparkle in his eyes, one that instantly drew you in.

Yet when she allowed her gaze to move to Fili, she felt her heart stop in her chest. Unlike his brother, the golden-haired prince was _not_ smiling – in fact he appeared thoroughly stunned. He was looking at Jade with recognition in his eyes, staring at her as if he was seeing a ghost.

 _Oh, Mahal…he knew!_

* * *

 **Yep...you can't get anything by Fili...he's smart! ha ha.**

 **So, looks like the jig is up, how WILL Jade deal with this awkward situation?**

 **Tune in next time to find out.**

 **Thanks.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

 **Emrfangirl:** Hey, welcome back! I had made it my goal to start posting at the start of the new year, and look...I did it! And yes, that IS the real issue here...Fili not wasting his ale, now THAT would have been a real tragedy! Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

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 **Thank you very much for your continued reviews!**

 **Now on with the show.**

 **.**

 _ **Chapter 3**_

 **ghivâshelûh - my treasures of (all) treasures**

 **~X~**

* * *

"Fili…Kili," Dis said with a suggestive clearing of her throat. "Where are your manners? I raised you better than that."

Her words apparently had the desired effect, pulling the two princes from their private thoughts and they quickly bowed in unison, adding the customary 'at your service' to the gesture. Jade in turn lowered her eyes and curtsied back, feeling her face grow warm from the heat of her blush. Kili seemed to return to his normal self the fastest, stepping around the table and reached out to take her hand in his.

"It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Jade," he said with a wide grin, bringing it up as he let his lips brush across her knuckles in a gallant gesture. Yet, with her hand now being directly under his nose, Kili could not help but catch the scent of vanilla and roses, causing his eyes to grow wide in realization. To his credit, he was able to contain any embarrassing or unseemly outburst, instead turning his head quickly to give his brother a knowing look.

"Yes…a _great_ pleasure," Fili added, doing all he could to ignore his brother's pointed gaze, trying instead to think of what he might say next, all words suddenly failing him.

"Likewise, your highnesses," Jade assured them, doing her best to discreetly slip her hand out of Kili's, as she quickly laced them behind her back, so that the princes would not notice how badly they were shaking. "If you have no further need of me, My Lady, I will leave the three of you to your visit," she offered, giving Dis an almost pleading look.

"Yes, of course," the matron nodded, not letting on if she thought Jade was acting in any way odd. "Thank you for bringing in the meal. You are dismissed."

Jade barely gave a moment to curtsy before rushing out of the room, shutting the door to her private chambers behind her. This left the three of them to stare after her questioningly…yet each for a completely different reason.

"Well…that was so unlike her," Dis commented as she sat back down. "Yet, I suppose the long journey and seeing so many new faces would rattle anyone. She is usually much more open and friendly."

"Like you said, meeting so many strangers at once can cause a person to act out of character," Fili was quick to come to her defense, not wishing for his mother to ponder further on the incident. He could tell that Kili was equally aware of who the lass was, and his little brother was practically bursting with the need to alert him to the fact. As if Fili actually _needed_ anyone to tell him that she was indeed the dam from last night.

"Perhaps everything has just been a bit much for her," Dis nodded with a tone of pity in her voice. "I've been rather distracted as of late, so excited about getting here and seeing you and your uncle again, that maybe I've not been sensitive to her feelings. This is all so very new for her, I should really have been paying more attention."

"You said that she recently arrived at Ered Luin…and that she knows little about our customs?" Kili probed, reaching out and taking a rather large helping of the breakfast onto his plate. "What did you mean by that?"

Fili too leaned in just a bit more, eager to hear the tale of this lovely dwarrowdam who had captured his full attention and interest.

"Well, you see," Dis began, giving Kili a bit of a stern look at his lack of table manners. "Jade was raised by the race of men, after her dwarf parents had been killed by a raiding party of orcs west of the Misty Mountains. She has little to no knowledge of our customs, or Khuzdul, since she had never come in contact with any of her kind until she sought us out at Ered Luin. It had not been two weeks after you and Thorin left on your journey that Jade appeared out of the wild – with all she owned in this world stuffed in two small packs, as she bravely approached the mountain gates."

 _"Alone?"_ Fili gasped. "With no escort or protection? Where was this family of hers who supposedly cared for her, had they not accompanied her?" This was very upsetting to Fili, for not only were dwarf women few in number, but it was their custom to see that any and all females were well protected, fiercely guarded and treasured more than gold. To think of a lass, and one as lovely as Jade, wandering around undefended in the wild disturbed him more than he cared to admit.

"The couple who raised her are dead, leaving only a few adopted relatives remaining, but no true reason for Jade to remain in the village she had grown up in. So, she left to seek out our kind in hopes of learning more about her past and true family," Dis informed her son, silently taking note of his uncharacteristic distress.

"And did she?" Kili asked, earning another scolding look from his mother over the fact that he chose to speak with his mouth full.

"No, unfortunately, no one knows who she is and who her family could have been. We do not even know which clan she might have come from." Dis lowered her eyes and shook her head sadly. "You should have seen how frightened and alone she looked, standing there with practically the whole mountain staring at her. And since this was also her first introduction to dwarves in general, needless to say, we did not make a very good impression. We do tend to be a suspicious lot, even when presented with a pretty face and a pair of jade green eyes. That is how she got her name, by the way. Her foster parents called her that after the color of her eyes."

Fili had taken notice of them right off, for they had been hidden from his sight last night due to her slumber. Her eyes had been mesmerizing, a very distinct and unique shade he had never recalled seeing before. Coupled with her dark hair and creamy complexion, they only enhanced the beauty she already possessed.

"Seeing that she had no one, and nowhere to go, I offered her the position of my lady's maid, taking her under my wing and seeing that she was looked after," Dis continued. "She is exceedingly bright, willing to work, and eager to learn anything she can about her true culture. The couple who raised her did amazingly well in seeing that she got a good education, and she is very knowledgeable about many things you would never expect a young dwarrowdam to know. Would you believe she even speaks Sindarin?"

 _"The language of the elves?"_ Fili sputtered, rather shocked by this news.

"Why would they teach her that and not the language of her own kind?" Kili questioned, puzzled by the whole idea.

"There are few in Middle Earth who are fluent in Khuzdul that are _not_ dwarves," Dis pointed out diplomatically. "And it would appear that her father made many trips to Rivendell to trade with the elves, thus allowing her the opportunity to join him and pick up the tongue of the elves. I will admit it is rather strange to hear her mutter the elf language under her breath when she makes a mistake or injures herself, yet she is quickly picking up Khuzdul as well."

"We passed through Rivendell ourselves on the way to the Misty Mountains," Fili offered, recalling that even though Thorin had been less than pleased to go that way, he had enjoyed it immensely. Of course they had long heard the tales of how Thranduil had wronged his people by turning aside and not offering aid when Smaug attacked, but Fili and Kili had never developed a burning hate for the race of elves. Something that became quite clear when his younger brother met a certain red-haired elf lass in Mirkwood. So, while the rest of the company had been busy grumbling over their stay in Rivendell, the two princes had taken the opportunity to explore and admire all they could of their surroundings. And while he still preferred the mighty kingdom of Erebor over all else, if there was one place on their journey he would like to visit again, Rivendell would be it.

"And perhaps if we too had known the language we might have been able to ask them why they chose to serve us only vegetables and no meat!" Kili nodded with a huff, recalling how he had almost starved during the first few days of their visit…beautiful though it might have been.

This confession caused Dis to burst out with laughter, recalling just how difficult it had been to get either of her sons to eat their greens.

"So, what kind of lass is Jade?" Fili pressed, wishing to find out exactly who he was dealing with. Had she purposefully made her way into his room, and his bed, in an attempt to seduce him? Or perhaps singled him out for another reason? This was all very confusing. When his mother raised an eyebrow at his question, he quickly added, "I mean, was she able to acclimate to mountain life…or does she still feel like an outsider?"

"Up until a few moments ago, I had thought she was doing rather well," Dis replied after giving it a bit of thought. "Once she had been in Ered Luin for a few months, everyone seemed to take to her like bees to honey. She has the most endearing personality and she is kind to a fault. In fact, once the suspicion had worn off due to her history, I had to beat the dwarves wishing to court her off with a stick. And she was drawing all kinds too, seeing that she had no kin to speak for her, both old and young, worthy and some not so worthy, were vying for her hand. Yet I would not allow any of them to make their petition. For in my opinion, none of them met with _my_ high standards!" Dis stated adamantly, yet her face quickly softened as she looked at her two lads. "I will confess, that with the two of you gone, I needed someone to look after - to mother, if you will - and Jade was the perfect choice." She then took a moment to gaze towards the door the lass had exited, before turning back to her sons with an imploring gaze. "Would you two please befriend her? She's had so few opportunities to make friends, with hardly any dwarves left in the mountains that were close to her age. I'm certain that she must be sick of only my company after all this time."

"We would be happy to!" Kili burst forth, giving his brother another one of his knowing looks. "Consider it done."

"And you, Fili?" Dis prodded, wanting to hear from both her sons on the subject. "I know that Thorin has you busy helping him with the duties of the king, but perhaps you might find some time to give her a tour of the mountain or something?"

"Of course I will, Amad," he nodded, patting her hand comfortingly. "It would be my pleasure."

"I knew I could count on you both, my ghivâshelûh," she said, leaning forward and taking both by the hand, giving them a loving squeeze. "Now…how about we finish breakfast, or at least what's left of it, now that Kili has made a sizeable dent."

"Hey…I'm still a growing dwarfling!" he cried in mock protest, causing Fili and Dis to burst forth with laughter.

.

.

Later that day, when their visit with their mother had ended, and Thorin no longer needed their attendance in the great hall, both Fili and Kili found a quiet spot to speak, both having been anxious to discuss this odd turn of events.

"Do you think Mother set her up to it?" was Kili's first thought, lowering his voice so that no passing dwarf might accidentally overhear them. "Do you think she wants to see you and Jade paired up?"

"I don't know," Fili responded, the idea never having occurred to him. "Yet, I don't see Amad doing anything so underhanded or scandalous, not when she seems to admire and care for the lass."

"Then how do you explain finding her in _your_ bed?" The younger prince was now indeed completely convinced that Jade _had_ truly been there, for not only did she fit his brother's description, but the scent of vanilla and roses had been unmistakable.

"I can't!" Fili moaned, it being the only thought he could focus on all day, and it was driving him insane. He had also been wondering why the notion that Jade had been left unprotected irked him so much. For the idea that she might have been harmed or set upon by danger in the wild had caused him great distress. "If I knew _why_ she was there, or what brought her to my room, don't you think I would be at her door discussing it with her right now…instead of listening to you flap your gums?"

"Hey, I'm only trying to help," Kili protested.

"I know…and I'm sorry," the older brother apologized.

"But you know…that's not a bad idea," he spoke up, obviously not having taken too much offense. "Why _don't_ you go talk to her? Amad did ask us to befriend her. So, what would be the harm if you were to ask her to join you for dinner…or a stroll…anything that would afford you some time alone with her to find out her reasons?"

"Yes! That's perfect, and exactly what I'll do," Fili nodded, seeing it as the best and brightest idea they had thus far.

.

.

Unfortunately _that_ did not happen. For the moment the two brothers came out of hiding, they were both called back to the throne room by Thorin. There was much to do, and the next few months would prove especially busy for all, as emissaries from every dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth had been invited to visit Erebor; to trade, form treaties, and make known their alliance with Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, rightful king under the mountain.

Royal families and regents were coming from as far as the Blue Mountains, the Hills of Evendim, the Grey Mountains, the Iron Hills, and every dwarf settlement in-between. Even representatives from other races were said to be on their way to visit the mountain to reestablish peaceful relations. For all had heard of the retaking of Erebor, and wished to come see the great dwarf kingdom restored - not to mention the amazing hoard of gold that had once been fiercely guarded by the dragon Smaug.

Thorin was already beset by the first wave of ambassadors, each demanding his time and attention, as he dutifully played the diplomat, catering to their ever increasing wants and needs. He had told Dis that he often felt more like a glorified tour guide, or baby sitter, than a king. Now that she had arrived, his sister was willing to do all she could to aid him in keeping their guests busy and entertained, yet she knew it was the king and his royal heirs whom the dwarves wished to spend time with - in hopes of currying favor for their own kingdoms.

So it was, that every time Fili thought he had a moment to sneak away, he would be called to yet another dull meeting, or dinner, or whatever else appeared to interest their visitors. The young prince soon found himself wishing to be back on the road, battling dangers and trading insults with trolls, instead of being forced to smile, nod and exchange compliments he didn't even mean.

But what he would truly have enjoyed, was to see the beautiful green eyes of Jade, looking up at him as he ran his fingers through her raven locks. She was constantly on his mind and invaded his dreams at night. At first Fili thought it had to be simply because she was a mystery, a puzzle with a lovely face. Yet, deep down he knew was suspecting it might be more than this…and _that's_ what worried him.

By the third day he was growing very frustrated. During the handful of occasions that he had seen his mother's maid, she had purposefully avoided making eye contact or speaking to him. At dinner one night she never once looked up and caught his gaze as he stared at her from across the table. When he saw her coming down the hallway another time, she had quickly changed directions and headed away from him. And the two times he had tried to make polite conversation with her during one of his visits to his mother, he had only received the barest of responses before she hurriedly excused herself and left the room. Fili was beginning to feel rather offended, and yet it was _she_ who had originally shown up in his bed! What was he missing?

.

.

"I'm at a loss, Kili," he lamented during their morning sparring session, his tone revealing his increasing irritability due to lack of sleep. "How can I get her to speak to me? What must I do to win her good graces?"

"Perhaps you need to make a grand gesture," his younger brother suggested, lunging at Fili with his sword. Even distracted as he was, the older prince was able to ward off the blow easily and countered with an attack of his own. "Take a page out of _her_ book, Brother, and do something dramatic. I hear dams like that kind of stuff."

"Dramatic?" Fili questioned, using both of his twin blades to fend off Kili's next assault. "Got any suggestions?"

"Why not sneak into _her_ bed?" he offered, ducking quickly to the left, skillfully avoiding the loss of his right ear. "If you and she are locked in her room, all alone, she would _have_ to speak with you."

"Or scream her head off and have me thrown in the dungeons," Fili scoffed, thinking his brother was insane. Things like that might work for Kili, his baby face and puppy dog eyes allowing him to weasel out of just about any scrape. But Fili was not that brave, nor was he that confident that Jade even liked him. A dwarf can only take so much rejection before his ego became bruised. "And you know what Amad would have to say should I insult the lass she looks upon as a surrogate daughter. In the face of her wrath, the dungeons would start sounding pretty nice."

"True," Kili nodded, lowering his blade and holding up his hand in surrender. "It's just that you've tried everything else."

"Aye, that I have," he nodded, the two of them taking a seat on the nearby benches to catch their breath and wipe the sweat from their brows. The mountain was at peace, the men of Dale were their allies, and even Thranduil was no longer considered a threat, so there was little need to train this hard. Yet both of them knew that a warrior must to be prepared to go into battle at a moment's notice…even a prince. "Maybe I should just forget her…pretend it never happened."

"Durin's beard, Fili!" Kili gasped, looking at his brother as if he had gone insane. "You can't be serious? Every dwarf dreams of having such a thing happen to him, and you aim on just throwing that away? I fully intend on telling this tale around campfires and in taverns for years to come, so this story _has_ to have a happy ending! For the glory of Erebor, and all the dwarves of Middle Earth, do not admit defeat now!"

Fili just stared at his brother and shook his head. What was he going to do with him? And in turn…what was he going to do with _her_?

.

.

The crown prince finally made up his mind the next day, when he rounded a corner and came face to face with the dwarrowdam who had been haunting his dreams.

"Jade," he gasped, looking down into her beautiful green eyes with hope and expectation.

"Your Highness," she responded, giving the customary curtsy.

"Have you been enjoying your stay in Erebor?" he questioned, unable to think of anything else to say. His only plan was to keep her talking… _to him._

"It is amazing here," she informed him, her voice taking on a note of excitement and sincerity, something he had not heard before during the few times they had spoken. "Your mother was very generous to invite me to come, I could not imagine a more splendid kingdom."

"I'm happy it pleases you," Fili grinned, not sure why her admission filled him with such hope. He supposed if she didn't like it here, and was purposefully avoiding him, the chances of her remaining within the mountain were slim...and that thought upset him a great deal. "I'm sure with all your duties, you've had little to no time to see many of the sights the mountain has to offer. Might I interest you in a tour? I've been wishing to get you alone so that we might speak about… _matters_."

Any sign of delight that had appeared in her eyes suddenly faded at his request, causing her to take a step back and shake her head almost fearfully.

"I…I thank you for the offer, but I must decline," she stammered, her eyes quickly seeking an exit route. "I'm far too busy…I would hate to bother you…I…I must go. Your mother has asked me to launder several of her dresses for tomorrow night." Giving him a quick curtsy, off she went, leaving Fili once again watching her hasty retreat.

Fili knew he now had a choice to make. Did he do the honorable thing and respect her apparent wishes; that he leave her alone and forget she existed? Or did he accept the counsel of his brother and do something drastic? His common sense told him one thing…yet his need to know the truth overruled it. And so it was decided.

 _Drastic it would be!_

* * *

 **Oh dear, what is Fili going to do now? Whatever it is, it can't end well...it never does, does it?**

 **So now Fili knows more about Jade, and so far, he likes what he's heard. Now if he can only get her to talk to him!**

 **Please drop a line and let me know what you are thinking!**

 **Thanks**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

*crickets chirping in distance*

There are none! (sad face)


	4. Chapter 4

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 **While I try very hard to make my chapters mistake free...often my beta readers and I will miss a boo-boo. Just so you know, I don't mind at all if you tell me when you see one. I would rather know about it so I can fix it than to let it remain undetected. Thanks.**

 **.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **~X~**

* * *

Kili had just sat down to lunch, choosing a table in the back as he waited for his brother to join him. Normally the two princes would have eaten at the head table with Thorin, their mother, and several of the original thirteen who had accompanied them to Erebor. But lately, with all the fuss over the delegates, he had seen so little of his brother that he felt some quiet catch-up time was in order.

The young, dark-haired prince had just opened his mouth to shovel in a forkful of meat, when he felt a hand on the collar of his tunic, gripping it tightly as he was hauled out of his chair.

"I need your help…NOW!" came a low growl from behind him. And while the voice sounded suspiciously like that of his brother, Kili could not help but notice that the tone was off. Normally Fili was far more calm and reserved, yet this dwarf's voice was anything but.

"Fili!" Kili whined, as he was pulled away from the table and any chance of consuming the meal he had so been looking forward to. "What's with you?"

"Hopefully, you are! After all, this was _your_ idea!" his brother informed him as they made their way down the hallways and passages until they came near the royal chambers. Ducking into a small alcove, Fili at last began to explain his idea to Kili in hushed tones.

"You surprise me, Brother," the younger prince said with a wide grin on his face, once the plan had been laid out for him. "This is so unlike you!"

"I know," he mumbled, peeking out to make sure that no one was nearby. "Like I said before, I'm taking _your_ advice on this, Mahal help me. Since it would appear that you have had far more experience with this sort of thing than I."

"That's not true," Kili objected. "Sure, I've shared a kiss with a lovely lass or two, but never have I found one in my bed!" He paused here, and from the faraway look in his eyes, Fili knew his brother was thinking about that red-haired she-elf again…something Kili did quite often since they had retaken the mountain, it would seem. Still, he shook it off and continued. "You, on the other hand, have managed to lure in one you had not yet even laid eyes on. Now _that's_ an achievement worthy of song!"

"Hold off on commissioning the ballads until we see if this works or not," Fili insisted. "We have less than half an hour before the changing of the guards, so let's go over my idea one last time…we can't afford for anything to go wrong. For if Jade should reject me, or I'm discovered by Amad, then I might as well pack up and head back to Ered Luin tonight, for crown prince or no, my life will be forfeit."

"And for my part in helping you…well, suffice it to say, I will be right beside you on that journey back over the Misty Mountains," Kili agreed with a nod of horror.

.

.

And so they waited, keeping track of the time as they watched for any sign of the new guard. When at last he had come to relieve the current watch, the two brothers slipped out, Fili slinking off to the right, while Kili walked straight down the corridor, greeting the two dwarves loudly. The plan was for him to distract the two enough so that no one noticed Fili sneaking up to the royal chambers. Not that he didn't have every right to be there, but for the sake of anonymity, the fewer that could place him near Jade's chambers the better. So it was that Kili began a rousing tale of some kind, keeping both guards looking at him, neither one noticing the crown prince silently creeping up the steps and around the corner.

When he was out of sight, Fili made his way to Jade's door, thankful to find that it was unlocked. He knew that she was still down at the laundry, tending to his mother's dresses, and quickly shut the door behind him.

Once inside he looked around, trying to gain a bit more insight into the young maid who had so captured his attention. She had very few possessions, having just arrived and brought so little with her. Her bed was neatly made, her clothes hung in the wardrobe, and every surface appeared to be well dusted. Fili had hardly believed her to be some kind of secret slob, still he found it very pleasing to know that she was so meticulous.

While Kili normally seemed to gravitate to the wild, loud, and boisterous dwarrowdams…Fili found the ones who were quiet and mild of spirit and temperament to be his preference. To him, the fact that Jade took pride in her quarters and saw to its condition, spoke highly of her character and spilled over into how she might treat others. As a prince, and future king, he knew the importance of choosing someone who would not only suit _his_ tastes, but that of the kingdom as well…and a loud, slovenly lass was not his idea of queen material.

Fili shook his head suddenly… _where had that come from?_ Why had his mind turned to marriage and queens? All he wanted to do was speak with the dam alone and find out what had truly transpired that night in his bedroom? Chances were, if he were to spend more than five minutes in her company, and share an actual conversation, he would find out that she was dull as a post and not worth his time or trouble. And yet…what if she _was_?

"Well, there's only one way to find out," he told himself, heading for the bed and laying upon it, propping himself up against the headboard with his fingers laced behind his neck.

Now he only had to wait.

.

.

Jade had spent more time than usual in the laundry, washing, pressing and getting Dis' dresses looking like new. Yet she had been distracted the whole time, mulling over thoughts of Prince Fili. Why he dominated her every waking moment was a mystery, one she wished she could solve and move on. Jade knew for a fact that she had in no way chosen to slip inside his room that night, not even knowing where his chambers were. She could just as easily have found herself in Kili's bed…or, Mahal forbid, King Thorin's! Now wouldn't THAT have been a royal mess?

Yet even though she probably could not have chosen a more kind or understanding dwarf to inconvenience, for Fili had never given her the impression that he was otherwise, he still continued to try and speak with her. And while she didn't wish to discuss the horribly embarrassing incident again, there was a part of her that knew he deserved the truth. At some point, she would need to work up the courage to admit the reason she had been there, no matter how mortifying it might be.

It was that thought that plagued her mind as she made her way back to her chambers, not even taking note of Prince Kili, who was leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs in a darkened alcove. Nor did she see the wide grin that spread across his handsome face, anxious to soon learn how things might fare for his brother.

Jade's arms were so heavily loaded down with clothes that she could barely see over them, and it took her a moment or two before she could successfully fiddle with the handle and get her door open. Stepping inside, she kicked it shut with her foot and headed for the small door that connected her room to the princess' chambers. Yet before she could make it halfway there, she caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye, causing her to jump as she realized she was not alone. Letting out a gasp of fright, the clean laundry fell from her arms and was now scattered across the floor. Her hands covered her lips as her eyes grew wide, instantly recognizing her intruder.

 _"Prince Fili?"_ Jade whispered, doing her best to stop her frantic heart from leaping from her chest.

"I thought since you have been reluctant to speak with me, that perhaps I might attempt to get your attention the same way you got mine," he explained, sliding off the bed and standing up before her, a sly smirk gracing his lips.

"Your Highness…I…I…" she stammered, turning several shade of red at his words. She realized that she had just been thinking about confronting him about the subject…but _this_ was too soon! She had not had a chance to prepare what she would say, and yet it looked like there was no time like the present.

"Erebor may be a large mountain, but you cannot go on avoiding me forever," Fili continued, walking around her as he spoke. "And I think we both know that it _was_ you I found sleeping in my bed the night of your arrival. I will not say I was disappointed by your actions…however, I am still a bit confused by them." By now he had come to stand behind her, all the while Jade had been turning her neck, attempting to keep her wary gaze trained on him. When he stopped and reached out to slide the bolt across the door, effectively locking them both inside, he couldn't help but chuckle at how wide her eyes grew. He had already bolted the door that led to his mother's chambers, not wishing to risk _her_ coming back and attempting to gain entry through that way. "Now…we will not be disturbed while we chat. And the subject I would very much like to discuss, is the one question I just can't figure out. _Why were you in my bed?"_

 _._

 _._

Meanwhile, Kili had been spending his time examining one of his daggers, for even if they were ensconced in a highly protected mountain, he had grown so accustomed to bearing arms that he now felt naked without at least one weapon on him at all times. Fili was the same, though Kili had to admire all the different places his brother managed to hide them! He had just stuck the blade back in the sheath on his belt when he heard voices coming down the hallway…and not just _any_ voices, ones that spelled trouble! Thorin and his mother rounded the corner, escorting about four of the current emissaries, Balin, and several guards, all heading towards the stairs that led to the royal chambers.

Oh, this could not be good!

"Uncle…Amad!" Kili called, hoping he could alter their destination or at least waylay them and buy Fili more time. "What brings you to this part of the mountain? Surely there are much more exciting places to show your guests."

"Ah, Kili, there you are," Dis smiled, her heart still filling with joy every time she saw one of her lads, alive and well. "I was hoping to run into you and your brother and invite you to join us for dinner. The lords from Evendim have just arrived and wish to dine with the entire royal family."

Kili could easily tell from his mother's tone that she was less than thrilled by the prospect, and one look at Thorin's face told him that he felt the same way. Still, their true feelings on the subject were lost upon the important visitors, and they stared at Kili with great anticipation. _Oh, joy,_ he thought to himself, just what he wanted to do, spend an evening mingling and chatting with more pompous diplomats.

"Of course, Amad," Kili said with a bow. "I would be honored to join you, as I'm sure Fili will be as well…when I find him."

"When you find him?" Thorin scoffed, looking a bit perplexed. "When have the two of you not known exactly where the other is?" And it was true, for the longest Fili and Kili had been apart had been when they were thrown in separate cells in the dungeons of Mirkwood.

"Well…he said he had something to do…and that I should meet him here," Kili answered, which was indeed not a lie…just not the whole truth. He could tell by the lifting of her eyebrow that Dis did not believe a word of it, giving him the same look she used to when he had been caught with his hand in the jar of sweets as a dwarfling.

"I see," Dis murmured, choosing not to embarrass her son in front of strangers, and going on as if she believed every word out of his mouth. "Well, when he _does_ show up, please tell him to meet us in the dining room in an hour. You as well." She then began to head towards the stairs leading to the sleeping quarters, the rest of the group following closely behind.

"Where are you going?" Kili almost yelled, jumping in front of his mother, halting her progress.

"To my chambers to speak with Jade," she answered, quite stunned by Kili's rude behavior. Perhaps spending so much time with Thorin, tromping around in the wild, had been detrimental to all the good manners Dis thought she had instilled in him. "I told her I would be dining in tonight and I do not wish for her to go to all the trouble of preparing a meal only to have me not show up."

"I…I don't think she's there," Kili lied, knowing full well that his mother could see right through him when he did so. He had never been able to pull the wool over her eyes…never!

"Well, I know for a fact that she is, since I just came from the laundry and they told me she left just a little bit ago," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips and eyeing him suspiciously. "And if you have been standing here, waiting for your brother all this time, as you claim, you would have seen her return. So which is it?"

"I…I…could have missed her?" he attempted to clarify, his voice betraying him even more than his poorly fabricated lie.

Dis leaned in and lowered her voice, giving Kili a stern, motherly glare.

"We will speak of this later and you will tell me just what shenanigans you and your brother are up to, is that clear?" she hissed.

"Yes, Amad," he nodded, lowering his eyes as she stepped around him and stormed up the stairs. He saw the looks of confusion on Thorin and Balin's face as they too walked past him, yet the other dwarves seemed blessedly unaware of anything amiss. Kili found himself thankful that the guards had respectfully chosen to wait at the bottom of the steps, knowing that no one but the royal family was allowed beyond this point without express permission. At least this way, if Fili was discovered, there would be fewer weapons on hand for his uncle and mother to kill him with.

Appearing more like a whipped dog than a warrior, Kili followed the group up the stairs, listening as Balin continued to inform their guests all about the intriguing lighting system they used throughout the mountain. One of the minerals they discovered deep in the mine had a luminescent quality to it, and through the years, as tunnels, walkways and chambers were constructed, they had incorporated this stone into the ceiling, allowing it to shed a small amount of light even in the darkest places. Of course it was minimal, and torches and lanterns were preferred, yet when all lights were out, even then one could at least make out where they were going. This information was intriguing to the delegates and they all stopped at the top of the stairs, admiring the intricate and decorative pattern created on the ceiling of the chamber hallway. All, that is, except for Dis, who had marched over to Jade's door and knocked loudly.

Kili cringed, fearing what might happen next.

.

.

Jade had just opened her mouth to answer Fili's burning question when the rapping at her door, and Dis' voice, took her by surprise. Instantly fearing that she might become startled or scream, Fili quickly lunged forward, placing one hand over her mouth and the other against the back of her head, as he gently silenced her.

"Shhhh," he begged, his desperate eyes pleading as much as his whispered voice. "If we remain quiet, she might go away," he told her hopefully. "If she catches us here alone…well, we don't want that, now do we?"

Jade was in full agreement, and shook her head in the negative. The last thing she wanted was to be caught with a dwarf in her room! She might not know all the customs of her kind, but even _she_ realized just how it would look and the rumors that would quickly spread through the mountain. And while Fili might be able to come out of this with his dignity intact, being a prince and all, she was sure it would ruin her reputation for life. She had just begun to feel at home amongst her true people, she didn't want to mess it up now. So, Jade followed Fili's suggestion and kept quiet, offering no resistance.

.

.

When no answer came, Dis tried the door, finding it locked, which she thought was rather odd. She then went to her own room and called out again, once more trying the door that separated her chambers from Jade's. It was locked as well. This left a very perplexed look on Dis' face when she returned, eyeing Kili in a way that made him very nervous.

"If the maid is not here, then leave a note," Thorin suggested, wishing to end this ridiculous tour they were on and get to where he could at least ply himself with some ale. He had found that with one or two pints in him, he could often handle all the politics he was being forced to sit through much better.

"Or _I_ could just tell her," Kili suggested. "I have to wait downstairs for Fili anyway, so if she comes back I'll give her the message." He truly wanted nothing more than for everyone to leave the area so he could get his brother out of there and back to safety.

"There, a perfect solution," Balin agreed, gesturing to their guests to follow him back down the stairs. "We will see you and Fili in about an hour then."

Kili gave a sigh of relief as he watched them all turn to leave, even his mother had seemed to have given up on trying to figure out what he was not telling her. He and Fili would have to dream up a very elaborate tale in order to throw her off their scent. Thankfully, that had always been his brother's specialty. Fili's innocent eyes, and unwavering expression in the face of danger, had often been a life saver…especially when dealing with their mother. If anyone could pull one over on their Amad, it was Fili, and it would appear that his luck was holding.

Unfortunately, it did not hold for long. For mere moments before they would have been in the clear, a very loud scream and then a thump was heard from inside Jade's room, causing everyone to turn back around, staring at the locked door with a mixture of panic and confusion.

Only Kili looked away, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

 _"Now, we're in for it,"_ he muttered to himself.

.

.

During the time that his mother had been trying to gain access to the room, Fili had kept his hand over Jade's mouth, the two of them standing very close as they waited, their hearts beating madly for fear of being caught. Of course the young prince had a lot to lose should he be discovered in the bedroom of a young dwarrowdam maid. Not only would he risk punishment from his mother and uncle, but it could seriously jeopardize his credibility as next in line for the throne.

Yet none of that mattered to him when he looked at the fear in the beautiful jade-green eyes mere inches from him. Why had he been so foolish? Why had he let his desperation to speak with her override his common sense and put her in such a compromising position? It should not matter if she had slipped into his room the other night, it was obvious that she now regretted her actions and did not wish to pursue it. Yet Fili had been unable to let it go.

Now here they were, trapped in her room with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, both praying that his mother would just go away and allow them to get out of this predicament with none the wiser. He would never forgive himself if he were to somehow taint Jade's reputation, and he was certain his mother would not allow him to forget about it either. What a fool he had been! Fili almost wished he could blame it all on Kili, after all it _had_ been his idiotic suggestion…and yet it was he who had decided to take it. He could blame no one but himself.

Just when he thought they were never going to get out of this without being caught, a miracle happened…his mother seemed to have left. All was quiet and there was no more jiggling at the door and no more persistent knocking. Was it possible? Were they actually going to get away with this?

Letting out a sigh of relief, Fili slowly removed his hand from Jade's mouth, suddenly feeling a loss at the lack of contact – even if it had been initiated out of fear and alarm.

"Do…do you think she's gone?" Jade whispered, sounding just as hopeful as Fili felt.

"I think so," he nodded, pulling his hand away from the back of her head as he moved to check the door. Unfortunately, the metal clasp on the vambrace he wore on his arm had caught in Jade's hair, and as he made to walk away, it yanked hard. Panicking, Fili rushed back and quickly tried to untangle it, yet his feet got twisted up in the clothes that still littered the floor and he ended up falling into her, knocking her over as the two of them crashed to the floor. This motion, coupled with another violent yank to her hair, caused Jade to let out a very loud, and unintentional scream, the sound ending as Fili fell on top of her causing all the air to leave her lungs.

It was at this moment that a loud crash was heard and the two of them turned their heads just in time to see Thorin kick down the door, the small metal bolt no match for the ironclad boot of the king under the mountain. When his eyes landed on the two of them, lying on the floor, amid an array of discarded clothing – no matter that none of it was their own – his face went from shock, to dismay, to pure rage.

"Fili…Jade?" Dis could not believe what she was seeing, and the sight of her eldest son lying on top of her beloved maid, was causing all kinds of confusion and dismay in the princess.

Yet that was not the worst of it, for right behind the king and his sister, were four sets of judging eyes, all staring at the scene before them and undoubtedly assuming the worst. Balin too appeared just as shocked as everyone else, but at least his expression held a touch of sympathy.

"BY DURIN'S HAMMER, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Thorin bellowed, causing Fili to let out a low moan as Jade's hands to flew to cover her face, doing all she could to hide her undeniable shame.

 _They'd been caught!_

* * *

 **And there you have it. Complete and utter failure of Fili's plan. Oh well, what did you expect?**

 **At least he DID get Jade's attention, and she would have confessed to him if Dis hadn't knocked at that very moment.**

 **Now, how are they going to talk their way out of THIS mess?**

 **They really should have hired Nori to help them out.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

 **(Oh boy! Three of them!)**

 **Chione:** Yippeee, all the sadness is gone! Thanks for the warm welcome. And of course, a good guest always brings gifts! Hey, you guessed them all, including a royally pissed off Thorin. But really, isn't that a given? Amused Dis...check. Laughing his head off Kili...ummm, not at the moment, that's for sure! I think Fili's hide is up for grabs right now...but I'm betting on Dis and Thorin taking turns. Right now Jade is not too sure of herself or her strength. But given time she will find her inner warrior. Oh, I think you might have noticed the few hints I've dropped about Kili pining after his red-haired she-elf. That will come in time. Thanks for your kind and timely review! It was very much appreciated. T.O.W.G.

 **Guest:** I'm so happy you are enjoying it. That WAS the point of me posting it, after all. Thanks for the kind words.

 **Emrfangirl:** If you have the power to reach into your phone (or computer) and smack anyone, you should smack Fili! But really, if you smack one brother the other would probably feel it. ha ha. Oh yes, disaster with a capital D...and it just hit the fan at the end of this chapter too. Like you said, however, something crazy HAS to happen...it's Fan Fiction...we live for that kind of stuff. ha ha. Thanks for the review(s). T.O.W.G.


	5. Chapter 5

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 **abc:** I know you reviewed for Enthralled, but this is the only way I can let you know I got your message. I do hope you find my new story here and also this note. Thanks. T.O.W.G.

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 **Chapter 5**

 **~X~**

* * *

When no answer seemed to be forthcoming, and the silence that reigned was more accusing than anything, Thorin turned to address the still wide-eyed delegates, doing his best to sound calm and diplomatic.

"Balin, please see that our guests are escorted back to their chambers so they might rest up a bit before dinner." He then looked directly at them, his stern face telling them in no uncertain terms that questions at this point would not be wise. "I will speak with you all in my private council room before dinner…to clear up this matter. But for now, I must beg your indulgence and ask that you allow Lord Balin to see you away."

There was some grumbling, a few side glances of suspicion, but the four dwarves did as Thorin bid, dutifully following the disappointed looking Balin down the stairs and away from the royal chambers.

When only Thorin, Dis and Kili remained, the younger dwarf appearing just as guilty and abashed as his brother, all eyes turned back to Fili and Jade.

"For the love of Mahal, get up off the floor!" Thorin spat, turning his head as if he were too ashamed to even look at them. "You are dwarves, not animals!"

"I…I wish I could," Fili admitted, reaching up in another attempt to disentangle his vambrace from her long hair. "It would seem that I'm stuck."

Dis hurried to their side and between her and Fili, they were at last able to unhook the two, allowing the crimson-faced dwarrow to scramble to his feet, still not willing to look his enraged uncle in the eye. Jade sat up, yet was unable to quell the tears that began to fall from her eyes at her mortification.

"Now, care to explain what exactly was going on here?" Thorin seethed, an unsettling idea coming to is mind after what he had just seen, and yet he wished to hear the truth directly from his nephew's lips. "And how in Middle Earth did you two end up on the floor with her hair tangled around you like that?"

"I…I was attempting to keep her quiet," Fili admitted, cringing when he realized just how horrible that made him look. "I was hoping to avoid this very situation, fearing that you would automatically assume the worst, should we be discovered here alone."

"As you can see, _that_ certainly worked out well for you, did it not?" the king growled, crossing his arms over his powerful chest. "And what else are we expected to believe when the crown prince is found alone in a maid's room, on the floor… _on top of her?_ Even if there is a reasonable explanation, which I truly hope there is, do you think that any of those tongue-wagging emissaries will believe a word of it? You have dishonored not only yourself, and this young lass, but your king and kingdom as well!"

"I know, Uncle," Fili muttered, looking at the floor in shame. "I take full responsibility."

"No!" Jade spoke up, clamoring to rise as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm the one who is at fault, Your Majesty. Prince Fili was…he was here by mistake, for he was unaware of all the facts. But, if anyone is to be punished for this embarrassment to the royal family, it is I."

"Jade?" Dis questioned, having no idea what to think. "What are you saying?" And even though she was confused and upset, the older dwarrowdam placed a comforting arm around the young lass and guided her to sit beside her on the bed, holding her close as Jade buried her face against her shoulder.

"That is untrue, Uncle," Fili firmly insisted. "Jade had no part in my being here. It was all my idea, she knew nothing of my intentions."

"And I had just as much hand in this as Fili," Kili also stated, not willing to see his brother take all the blame when it had originally been his idea. One he was greatly regretting at this moment.

"Enough!" Thorin shouted, tired of hearing whose fault it was without the benefit of any explanation as to _why_ it happened in the first place. "I would suggest someone start explaining this, for until all the facts are presented, I am unable to decide how this should be handled," Thorin instructed, holding up his hand to further silence his nephews, before turning his eyes on Jade. "You claim to be the one at fault, lass? How about you tell me _why_ you feel so strongly about shouldering the blame." While he had seen this young maid on several occasions since his sister's arrival in Erebor, he had yet to speak with her personally, so he had no way of judging her character or the truthfulness of her claim. Still, Dis seemed to be quite taken with the lass, and Thorin was often more willing to accept the good opinion of someone on his sister's word alone - even over his own judgement.

Jade did all she could to quiet her sobs, knowing that there was no way to get out of this without telling the whole truth…no matter how embarrassing it might be. Raising her head, yet not daring to look anyone in the eye, she began to confess.

"It…it all began the night we arrived from Ered Luin," she said, doing her best to keep her voice steady, between the occasional sniffles. "I must have been more nervous about the move than I thought…for that night…I did something I had not done in a long time." Here she looked up at Dis, pleading for understanding. "I went walking in my sleep, much the same as I did when I first came to the Blue Mountains."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dis asked, reaching up to tenderly cup Jade's face in her hands. She very vividly recalled the handful of times that she, or the night guards, had found Jade wandering the halls back home, dressed only in her sleeping clothes and having no memory of how she had gotten there. One time they had discovered her walking across a very precarious parapet, leaving both Dis and Jade to fear she might do herself harm. Thankfully after a few weeks, this all subsided and she had not been plagued with it since…or so Dis had believed. "Is that why you've been acting so strangely as of late? You feared that your night wandering had returned. You could have come to me with your fears, Jade."

"I know…and I'm now so sorry that I didn't," she nodded. "Yet, that's not the worst part of it," she added with a low moan. "For you see, where I ended up that night was…was in Prince Fili's room, and more specifically, _his bed."_ At this she dared to raise her eyes to rest on the golden prince, her gaze pleading for both understanding and forgiveness. "I had hoped that he had not seen me there, that he had been asleep in the chair before I arrived, yet when we met in your chambers that following morning, and I saw the look of recognition in his eyes…I knew that had not been the case. I was too humiliated to speak to him about it, praying that if I avoided the issue, _and him,_ it would all just go away. I was wrong. So you see, King Thorin, it is I who have caused all this trouble. I should have told the truth and confessed my mistake…but instead my silence has led to an even greater one." At this she broke down again and sobbed her misery into the comforting shoulder of the Lady Dis, all the while the older dwarrowdam rubbed her back and spoke soothing words to her.

Fili was stunned, and now painfully ashamed. Here he had assumed it had all been some ploy, a game she had been playing to get his attention – and it had worked perfectly. Yet now, to learn the truth, he felt terrible. There was a reason why he was supposed to be the levelheaded one of the two, why he left such harebrained schemes to his younger brother, for he was not suited for such intrigue! Nor did he particularly enjoy dealing with the consequences when things went horribly wrong. Perhaps Kili could shrug such things off, but Fili took it to heart and felt deep regret over the pain he had caused. He had spent the better part of his life getting his rambunctious brother out of scrapes like this…he never imagined he would now be the one neck-deep in trouble.

Walking over to where Jade and his mother sat, he humbly went down upon one knee in front of her and reached out to take one of the sobbing lass' hands, drawing her eyes to him.

"Miss Jade, you do yourself wrong to insist on shouldering the blame in this case, for it is I alone who is at fault," he told her sincerely. "Had I known the truth, or at the very least, acted as an honorable dwarf should - speaking no more of it and allowing you to retain your dignity - none of this would have ever transpired. Instead I acted foolishly, going to ungentlemanly lengths in hopes of speaking with you alone, by entering your chambers uninvited. I can only offer you my sincerest apologies for my errant behavior. If it takes the next hundred years, I will see that your reputation is exonerated and every dwarf in Erebor knows that it is I who was the cause of this misunderstanding. You shall not suffer because of my folly."

Jade could not believe her ears, and apparently her tongue was equally stunned, for all she could do was stare at the handsome and repentant dwarf before her. To have the crown prince of Erebor down on his knee before her was not only outrageously absurd, but it was causing her heartrate to increase and her stomach to do flip-flops. She could honestly swear she had never seen eyes as blue as his, or so full of remorse and sincerity.

"Well…" Thorin said with a deep and heavy sigh. "That clears up the question of _why_ , but now we must deal with the _how_."

"How?" Dis asked, staring up at her brother with curiosity.

"How in Durin's name we are to explain this to those blasted emissaries?" Thorin growled. "Not to mention the rest of the mountain when words gets around…and you know that it will! I cannot have my nephew, and heir, looked upon like he is some randy dwarf who would corner and attack a helpless maid in her own bedchambers!"

"He did no such thing!" Jade was quick to speak out in Fili's defense. Then, realizing just how rudely she had spoken to the king, added, "I mean…the prince never acted in any such way, Your Majesty."

"While I thank you for your confirmation on that, I never thought he had, lass," Thorin nodded, gracing her with a slight grin. "I know my nephews, and while they might be wild and thoughtless at times, they are not the type who would ever purposefully cause harm or tarnish a maid's honor. However, it is not _me_ that we will need to further convince of this."

"I…I could leave the mountain," Jade suggested, the very idea causing her great distress, yet she had been without a home before, she could surely wander the world again until she found another. "With me gone, they could be told that I was to blame, that I…I led him on and tried to seduce him for his wealth and title."

"I will _not_ allow it!" Fili barked, looking from Thorin to the lass who was offering to sacrifice her reputation and home to save him. "There has to be another way!"

"Of course there is," Dis nodded, leaning forward to kiss Jade on the forehead. "No one is asking you to forfeit your good standing here in Erebor, and I too will not permit you to leave. We will think of something, trust me, my dear."

"If only this indiscretion had not been witnessed by those from the other kingdoms," Thorin muttered, rubbing his forehead with his hand, as if attempting to stave off an oncoming headache. "Or there was some logical way to explain why these two would be found alone in her chambers, though I doubt they would believe any excuse we might give for them being found on the floor like this."

"What if we could make them believe there _was_ a reason," Kili interjected, up till now doing his best to blend into the wall.

"How so?" Thorin questioned, willing to listen to any ideas at the moment, no matter how farfetched.

"What if we told them that Fili and Jade were already courting?" the dark-haired prince suggested. "A young dwarf in love who was caught stealing a few moments alone with his betrothed, would be easier to explain away than Fili taking advantage of some random maid."

Everyone in the room was silent for a moment, each one turning their eyes to the other as the idea was considered. Fili, however, found that he couldn't take his gaze off the now stunned dam. Was this something horrifying to her? The prospect of being matched up with him?

"That _might_ work," Thorin stated at last. "I'm sure, given the circumstances, none of those prying delegates took the time to notice that Jade was not sporting a courting braid, and if we were to act quickly, no one would dare protest the intended union."

"I will _not_ have my son, or Jade, forced into marriage just to allow you to save face in front of a few pompous delegates!" Dis cried out in horror.

"And I will not subject Jade to further embarrassment by being asked to accept my unwanted suit!" Fili added, though his eyes lingered a bit longer on the young dwarrowdam before looking away.

"I never said they would actually _have_ to wed," Thorin informed them with a sigh of exasperation. "Many a young lass will accept the suit of a solicitous dwarf, only to realize after a time that they are not compatible, and the courtship is terminated. Even you, Dis, allowed yourself to be wooed by a few others before setting your heart on Flinn."

 _"Amad!"_ Kili spoke up, pushing himself off the wall and stepping closer in surprise. "You never told us that!"

"There is no shame in a dam making sure her choice is the correct one," Dis informed her somewhat disgruntled son, holding her head high. "I ended both suits long before anyone became unduly attached, and the moment I laid eyes on your father, I knew there would never be any other dwarf for me. I did nothing I need to apologize for."

"That is how it shall appear to go for Fili and Jade as well," the king decreed, sounding as if his mind had been made up. "She will accept his petition, allow him to court her publicly, making a fine show of it, and once the delegates have all returned to their own kingdoms, she will break things off in a respectable manner. No one will judge or shun her for not choosing Fili in the end if it turns out he is not the one she wishes to marry."

"Yet will any disavow Fili's choice of maidens?" Dis inquired. "Will they insist that you make him court a dwarrowdam of noble birth?"

"If that's the case," Jade broke in, "Then I fear I cannot offer any family history or claim of nobility in my bloodline, for I do not know who my true parents were," she insisted, looking slightly embarrassed by the admission.

"You think I give a rat's ass for titles and such?" Thorin asked, scoffing at the idea. "When I called for aid in taking back Erebor, who was it that answered? Kings, lords, dwarves of high station? No! It was merchants, miners, tinkers and toymakers, yet each of them joined our company, bringing with them loyalty, honor, and a willing heart. Each of them I have since bestowed a title upon, from the mighty Dwalin down to little Ori, for the service and friendship they gave. No one will question the fact that I care not who my heirs choose to marry!"

"He means it, too," Kili spoke up. "Uncle's often told us that we can choose whomever we wish to wed…when the time comes, that is."

"However," Thorin continued, turning to gaze upon the stunned looking lass, still wrapped protectively in his sister's arms. "This all hinges upon whether or not _you_ are willing to go along. Granted, if you had initially come forth with the truth of the matter, much of this could have been avoided. Yet it is not you, but these two addle-brained dwarflings I hold responsible for the situation we find ourselves in." Thorin noted that both his nephews at least had the decency to look ashamed of themselves. "Thus, I leave the final decision with you, Miss Jade, will you bow to your king's request and answer his call with loyalty, honor and a willing heart as well?"

Jade was stunned! King Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, a dwarf of legend in his own time, was asking for _her_ aid. She was speechless! And yet, he wanted her to allow herself to be publicly courted by Prince Fili? To allow him to…to…well, Jade had no idea what actually took place during a dwarf courtship! Dis had been teaching her customs and other traditions of her birth race, yet never had _this_ subject come up. Would they be expected to spend copious amounts of time together, hold hands, touch…kiss? She already felt light-headed and fluttery around him as it was, how could she possibly survive having him show her any amount of affection, even if it was all make-believe?

For the first seventy-eight years of her life she had never even set eyes on another dwarf, never understanding what it felt like to be drawn to anyone in a romantic sense. Then for the past year she had lived among her kind and still experienced no such feelings. Yet after only one day in Erebor, she had felt a connection to Fili that even now she could not explain, knowing that it had nothing to do with the fact that she had been found in his bedchambers. It terrified her to think that she would now be forced to see him daily, speak to him as if they were in love, and do it all under the critical eyes of the mountain kingdom. How could she possibly say yes?

Yet, after one look in Fili's eyes, ones that were still at her level for he had yet to rise from the floor, she knew she would never abandon him to face this scandal alone. While _she_ could leave, search out a new home where no one knew of her and her shame, Fili would be forced to endure the talk, the looks and the harsh whispers behind his back for years and years to come. He was one day going to be king, and the very least she could do to repay Dis for all her kindness, was to attempt to save her son from slanderous gossip.

"I…I will do whatever I can to put this right," she nodded resolutely, earning her a pleased smile from her king.

"Are you sure?" Fili asked, once more pulling her in with his deep blue eyes and hopeful smile. "No one will think any less of you if you choose otherwise."

"I was too scared and embarrassed to confess my mistake before," Jade assured him. "I will not allow such fears to stop me now from setting things right." She then tore her gaze from Fili and looked up at Thorin. "Tell me what I need to do."

"Well, first a courting braid will need to be placed in your hair, then a formal announcement will be made at dinner tonight," he began, ticking off the steps as his mind began to spin a web of subterfuge. "I must go and speak with the emissaries while you, Fili, go fetch the bead marked with your family crest, for it will need to adorn her braid to signify that she is being sought after by a member of the line of Durin."

Thorin knew that of all the items the two siblings had brought on their journey, the small bag of beads and hair clasps had been one they had never allowed to be taken from them. Even in the dungeons of Mirkwood, the seemingly insignificant objects had been overlooked, thus allowing them to be retained. When Fili and Kili were given their official family braids at the age of five, a bead was placed at the end that signified that they were sons of Durin, and heirs to the throne would one day succeed Thorin and take their rightful place in history. Yet on the day they came of age, each one had received a second bead which was forged by their closest male relative, in this case, Thorin. It was the one they would give to the dwarrowdam they chose to court, leaving the marriage bead to be designed and crafted themselves for their intended bride. Their uncle knew that neither one of them had ever found need to take the bead out and use it…until now. It caused his heart a measure of sadness to think that it should now be used to perpetuate a ruse. Yet there was no helping it.

Kili appeared anxious to get out of the room and away from his uncle's accusatory glare, yet Fili had not left his position before Jade.

"I am in your debt, Jade," he told her in a soft tone. "Though I do not deserve your good will, I thank you for it nonetheless. In turn, I hereby swear that you will never suffer harm, disgrace, or a moment of regret during the time we must both play false."

Jade opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Dis, however, seemed to be suffering from no such malady.

"You're darned right she won't!" she told him, taking on the scolding tongue of a disappointed mother. "You will cater to Jade's every whim, you will devote all your time to making this ruse successful, and if I hear of you ever making things difficult or causing her to shed one more tear over this, I will make you wish those trolls _had_ roasted you for dinner! Are we clear on this, Fili, son of Flinn?"

"Yes, Amad…perfectly clear," he answered, feeling much like the same lad who had been caught sneaking a garden snake into his room to be kept as a pet. That bright idea had gone over just as well as this one had when his mother had caught him in the act. Needless to say, the snake had been turned loose. Yet Jade could not be, and he knew he would do everything in his power to see that she came out of all this unscathed. It was his duty as a prince, and his responsibility as an honorable dwarf.

"Now, go get your courting bead," his mother directed, "while I prepare Jade for what is to come."

And with one final apologetic look at the lovely maid who was soon to be announced as his intended…Fili turned and left the room.

* * *

 **And there you go! One messed up, confusing situation for all. A Fan Fiction specialty. ha ha.**

 **Look...Kili finally DID have a good idea...we hope.**

 **Thanks**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

I understand that since I posted this next chapter so quickly, some might not have had time to write any guest reviews. But I don't think you will yell at me for posting early. ha ha.


	6. Chapter 6

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 **Chapter 6**

 **~X~**

* * *

Fili hurried to his room, followed closely behind by Kili, and headed straight for his small box of treasures. Long had he kept it safe, often taking out the very special bead that his uncle had forged for him years ago, wondering if he might ever be fortunate enough to use it. Some dwarves weren't, never finding a mate and instead choosing to focus all their attention and energies on their craft. Once they had retaken Erebor, Fili realized that his duty would now consist on carrying on the line of Durin, be it with a lass of his choosing, or one for political reasons. Yet he had always secretly longed to place a courting bead in the hair of a lovely lass who would look back at him with that elusive emotion of love in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Nadad," Kili moaned, throwing himself down in a nearby chair, appearing guiltier than Fili had ever recalled his brother to be…even when there _had_ been just cause.

"It wasn't _your_ fault," Fili insisted, turning to look at him with a touch of compassion. Kili had always been overly sensitive, and he never felt worse than when he thought he had got Fili in trouble, or somehow let his brother down. "I was the one who decided to enter her chambers, not you. No one put a sword to my back, and once my mind was made up, even _you_ couldn't have stopped me."

"No, that's not what I meant," Kili corrected, still looking guilty. "I'm sorry for suggesting that you should pretend to court her! I honestly didn't think it through. Now just look at the mess I got you in!"

"The mess _you_ got me in?" Fili repeated, his voice taking on a shocked tone. "Kili, I'm far from upset about this whole thing…believe me! I mean, yes, I feel badly that we'll be lying to everyone and pretending that we're truly seeking marriage. However, in my opinion, things couldn't have worked out better!"

"How so?" the younger dwarf was now curious as to why his brother was actually smiling. For him, this would be tantamount to a death sentence. As a young, hot blooded dwarf, Kili enjoyed the ladies…but lately, the only female that dominated his thoughts was the lovely Tauriel. A lass he knew was completely off limits. Thus, being forced to court someone at his uncle's request, well, that sounded almost like work!

"What was my goal in gaining access to Jade's room in the first place?" Fili asked, crossing his arms over his chest and giving his little brother a wide grin.

"To speak with her? To find out why she was in your bed?" he responded, his brows furrowing as he tried to see how this answered his previous question.

"Right. I wanted to _talk_ with her, to perhaps spend some time with her," Fili nodded. "And now what must we both do, by order of the king no less?"

"You two have to be seen in each other's company!" Kili was at last catching on, his own face breaking out in a wide grin. "She'll _have_ to talk to you, and you can ask her anything and she can't just run away from you like before."

"Exactly!" Fili smiled, opening the little box in his hand and pulling out the small silver bead, engraved with the crest of his family and studded with the brightest sapphires. It was the perfect shade of Durin blue, easily identifying to all just who had claimed the maid who would wear it.

"But…what if you should find another dwarrowdam you like better while pretending to court Jade?" Kili asked, still worried about his brother's happiness. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Jade is very pretty…"

"Jade is beautiful!" Fili corrected, not quite sure why he felt the need to defend her so adamantly.

"All right, fine, she's beautiful," he agreed, giving a roll of his eyes as he continued, "but what if another dam you really like comes along in the meantime? Then what?"

"You know what Uncle says; the chances of either of us finding our perfect mate, especially at such a young age, is highly unlikely. Look at him, he's already almost two hundred, and has yet to find a dwarrowdam to turn _his_ head," he pointed out, having heard Thorin's opinion on the subject more than once. "And who says that I won't come to like Jade? Ever think of that?"

"Wouldn't you already know if you did?" Kili questioned.

"Not necessarily," Fili mused, sitting down in the chair next to his brother, a faraway look in his eyes. "From what I've been told, love can come on suddenly, or sneak up on you all quiet like. That's why there's the courting period, to make sure it's not simple infatuation…or lust. You heard Amad, even _she_ allowed others to make a suit for her hand before her heart was set upon our adad. Apparently before the courtship is over, both parties should know for sure, and they will either cleave to one another for life…or choose to end things in hopes of finding the right one next time." He was speaking very matter of factly about it all, yet inside his stomach was twisting in knots. When he first saw Jade, Fili assumed his reaction to her had been mostly due to his heavy drinking that night. But that feeling that had not gone away or lessened, in fact, if anything…it had grown! And while even he was not yet ready to attempt to define it, it made Fili's heart race and his blood pump wildly within him to think that he would have the next several months, or more, to find out what it all meant.

"All right," Kili sighed, still looking a bit skeptical, yet quite pleased that Fili was not angry or blaming him. "If this is what _you_ want…who am I to argue?"

"Right! So let's get going, we don't want to tarry too long and further anger Thorin or Amad," Fili reminded his little brother, who nodded in agreement, as they both headed out the door. Yet before they could take three steps, they were stopped by the sound of their uncle's voice, calling from the doorway of his own chambers at the end of the hall.

"Fili, I would like to speak with you… _alone_ ," he told him in a gruff voice. "Kili, you are excused until dinner…and do not be late!"

Kili gave his sibling a look that conveyed not only his sympathies, but also carried a silent farewell - should this indeed be the last time they met. And with that, the younger dwarf scurried off, not daring to linger any longer and risk Thorin's wrath.

Fili watched him go, wishing with all his might that he could follow, but instead he lowered his head and did as his king bid. The fretting dwarf joined his uncle in the large living area that often doubled as his private council chambers, but only to those closest to him. When Thorin went to sit behind a stone desk, carved out of solid marble, Fili felt more like he was on trial than speaking with his kin.

"I take it you located your courting bead?" he began, his eyes stern and his tone a bit threatening.

"I have, Uncle," the young dwarf nodded, holding it out for him to see.

"It grieves me that you will be using such an important item for the first time on a mere farce," he told him, sounding a bit sad. "The courting of a dwarrowdam is not something to be taken lightly, and if there were any other way to salvage our family's honor, I would have happily chosen it over this. Not only to spare you the trouble, but avoid hurting the young lass as well. Thus, I will warn you to be on your best behavior, no more of this foolishness that got you into this predicament in the first place." He paused there and gave Fili an almost sympathetic look. "I realize that you are still young; more than an adult by dwarf standards, yet still young in years and knowledge of the world. And often it might appear that I ask too much of you. However, I do so only because as your uncle and the one who raised you, I know exactly what you are capable of. Both you _and_ Kili. Still, you are the crown prince of Erebor now, and I expect you to act like it! You will conduct your courtship with honor, integrity, and decency at all times. I will not have you trifling with this dam's feelings or dishonoring her in any way. I can see that your mother has great affection for Jade, and should you two part as anything less than friends, your amad will make your life a living nightmare…trust me, I know! Are we clear on this?"

"Yes, Uncle," Fili nodded, keeping his eyes lowered in humble submission.

"Good," Thorin said with a sigh. He then got up and walked around to stand in front of his nephew, placing his hand on his shoulder in an accepting manner. "Now, go place the bead in her hair and get ready for the performance of your life, for all the eyes of Erebor will be upon you tonight. I, on the other hand, must go explain all of this to our four guests, who were unfortunate witnesses to your embarrassing display. Let's just hope that I'm equal to the task and can spin a very believable yarn myself."

.

.

Meanwhile, Dis had taken Jade to her own quarters, deciding that having the young couple meet on neutral territory would be best. No more visits to private chambers for them, not if she had anything to say about it! It still angered her that Fili and Kili had been so thoughtless, putting poor Jade in such a position as this and causing all this worry. Dis remembered just how frightened and nervous the young lass had been when she first attempted to reconnect with her kin. She truly hoped that this would not set the poor thing back in her efforts to assimilate, only wishing for her to be comfortable in her new home. The princess was determined to see that this happened, and she would promise her sons a world of hurt if they did not see things her way.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Dis," Jade moaned as she sat down where the older dwarrowdam had indicated.

"Hush now, you have nothing to be sorry for," she soothed. "What's done is done, and while I assign no blame to you, neither is it helpful I suppose for me to try to place it on others." Although if she was being honest, she blamed all three of her male kin for this. Kili for obviously dreaming up the idea, Fili for foolishly going through with it, and Thorin for…well, she was not sure why she blamed him, but she was positive there must be a sound reason to do so somewhere. Had he not had a hand in raising them? Hence she could blame some of this on his fatherly influence! "The most productive thing we can all do now is make the best of it and try to get through with our heads held high."

"But, Dis, I don't have any idea about how I should behave," Jade pointed out. "What is required of me…what is expected? How do I act when such customs are foreign to me?"

"Mostly it's up to the male to perform the rituals of courtship, while the maiden need only respond to his overtures," she explained as she retrieved a comb and quickly sectioned off a piece of Jade's hair at her temple, directly above her left ear. As she continued to speak, Dis began to weave it into a very long and intricate braid. "When two dwarrows decide that they wish to court, the male will place a braid in the female's hair, capping it off with a promissory bead, signaling to all that he is looking to stake a claim. During the courtship, he will offer his intended three gifts that show his willingness to please her, to provide for and protect her, and to love her. You will be expected to take the first two, but if you should do so with the third, it will signify that you have accepted Fili and his proposal of marriage."

"OH…I won't do that!" Jade gasped. "I promise!"

"There is no set time limit to this," Dis went on, not quite sure how she felt about her young maid being so adamant about refusing her son's suit…even if it was only pretend. "So, no one will think anything about you appearing to take your time to decide. And like Thorin said, when all the delegates are gone, you may remove the bead, return it to Fili, and no one will think badly of you for doing so. With so few dams left to our race, the consideration of marriage is a very serious matter, for once a dwarf takes a mate…it's for life."

"What if a dwarrow's spouse dies?" Jade questioned, all this very new to her.

"If our husband, or wife, should die, we will not take another. Even should the match be made for political reasons, once the bond is made, there will never be another for us. Should the marriage be a strong one, based on pure love, it often causes those without family or obligations to this world, to simply fade away from grief." When she saw Jade turn towards her with a horrified look and questioning eyes, she quietly continued. "Yes, my pain was long and deep for my Flinn, after he fell in battle. Yet I had two small sons to raise, who needed their mother to be strong, and I could not afford to let myself sink into despair and follow him to the Halls of Mandos. I still miss him terribly, yet I see him every day when I look into my sons' eyes. _They_ gave me the will to go on," she then got a very sassy smile on her face, "That and the fact that Thorin needed someone with common sense to see that he muddled through somehow."

This statement had the desired effect, and left both of them chuckling slightly. Yet all too soon a look of concern clouded Jade's eyes once more.

"I feel badly that I'm causing your kin so much trouble, especially after you've been nothing but kind to me," Jade told her in a low voice. "I'm sure that this is not something you ever wanted either of your sons to endure…a false courtship, when you would surely wish to see them truly in love with a respectable dwarrowdam."

"And who says I don't consider _you_ a respectable dwarrowdam?" Dis argued, playfully tugging on the braid just a bit for emphasis. "I hold you in the highest respect, Jade. I have watched you blossom into a fine lass as you bravely embraced your dwarf heritage. No small feat for one, who up until a year ago, had never even _met_ another dwarf. Try not to think too hard on all that will happen over the next several weeks, time has a way of working things out for the best."

"I'll do all I can to bring honor to your house, Lady Dis," Jade assured her, lifting her chin in a defiant manner. "I shall not let you down."

"I never feared that you would," she smiled back at her, leaning in to kiss her gently on the forehead.

Just then there was a knock at the door, followed by Fili cautiously sticking his head in, looking questioningly at his mother for permission to enter.

"Come in, Fili," she bid him. "I assume you brought your courting bead?"

"Yes, Amad," he nodded, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the braid already fixed in Jade's hair. _"What have you done?"_ he almost cried, his eyes shifting from the braid in Jade's hair to his mother and then back again. " _I_ was to place the courting braid in her hair!"

"The act of doing so is a gesture that conveys affection and commitment on the part of the suitor," Dis reminded him sternly. "The braiding of Jade's hair is a privilege you have not earned. Thus, I have taken the liberty of performing the tradition for you. Now, bind the end with your bead and let's not have another word about it."

Fili felt robbed, for he had indeed been looking forward to the ceremonial braiding with great anticipation. Yet, seeing that he had little room for argument, he did indeed step forward and hold out the beautiful silver and sapphire bead.

"With your permission, Lady Jade?" he asked, not wishing to take any further liberties.

"Oh…yes, of course," she nodded. "Though I'm no lady, Prince Fili, only a lowly maid…with a problematic tendency to sleepwalk."

"And I'm just a foolish dwarf with a habit of getting myself, and others it would seem, into trouble," Fili chuckled, noting that she was attempting to lighten the mood with a bit of levity. His fingers shook just a bit as he slipped the bead in place, finding he liked the way it looked in her hair very much. "As for you not being a lady…well, that is where you are wrong. For while we are seen as courting, that is how you will be addressed and referred to by all who greet you. Best get used to it."

Jade's eyes grew wide and she turned to stare at Dis for confirmation.

"It is true. For were you to eventually accept Fili's suit, you would indeed become a lady by marriage. It is only polite for you to be addressed as such in the interim," Dis explained.

"Uncle has gone to speak with the delegates and then we are to join him in the main dining hall at his table," Fili went on to explain, feeling a bit nervous now that the bead was in place and he had nothing left to do.

"Must our first outing together be so public?" Jade asked, not caring much for the idea.

"It would be expected, especially if we are to perpetuate the idea that we are now a couple," Fili told her kindly. Yet seeing the fear written across her face, he once more went down upon one knee as he looked up into her beautiful jade green eyes. "If you have changed your mind…if you no longer wish this, please speak now. It would be completely understandable if you did."

"No, I will not back down," she insisted, taking a deep breath and bravely raising her chin. "I agreed to this and I will see it through. I refuse to be the one to bring shame upon the house of Durin."

"Oh, no, my dear," Dis told her, giving Fili a knowing side-glance. "I have already birthed two sons who seem dead set upon doing _that_ all by themselves." And while the words might have been a bit scolding, they were tempered by a smile and a quick wink at her oldest child, assuring him that there was a chance he might soon be forgiven.

.

.

The next half an hour was taken up by Dis helping Jade find the perfect dress for the announcement, while Fili hurried off to locate Kili and make sure they were both properly attired as well. Jade's stomach was a knot of nerves by the time they reached the doors to the dining hall. Throughout Erebor, there were many such rooms set aside for communal eating, since most of the dwarves had no mates, they chose to take their meals socially. However, most of the married couples would eat in their private chambers, especially those with young ones, hence the need for apartments with small kitchens attached. The largest dining hall was where the king, his kin, and those looked upon with favor or of high rank, chose to dine each morning and evening. Lunches were often taken while at work or privately elsewhere, but the first and last meal were usually shared.

As they now stood outside the large doors, the din coming from within telling them that dinner was in full swing, Jade's nerves began to get the better of her. This was it, if she passed through those doors, she would officially be labeled as Prince Fili's intended. Was this a title she could live up to…even if it was only for a short period of time? Yet, her inner voice scolded her for such cowardice. She was Jade, daughter of Ursa and Gunnar, and she would not cower before anyone, man or dwarf! And from this moment on, she was determined to make that clear.

"Are you ready, My Lady?" Fili asked, noting Jade's slight hesitation.

"I am," she replied, nodding firmly, though she could feel her palms begin to sweat just a bit, and rubbed them on the skirt of the elegant dress Dis had dug out of some long-forgotten trunk of hers. The fit was passable, and the style might have been a bit out of date, but it was the color that had been the deciding factor. The rich blue of the fabric set off Fili's courting bead perfectly, showcasing his token of affection for all to see.

"Kili and I will go in and alert Thorin to your presence. When you hear him announce you, then you may enter," Dis instructed, taking her younger son's offered arm and allowing him to escort her inside.

.

.

Thorin had taken Balin with him when he spoke to the dwarf emissaries, doing all he could to repair the damage that had obviously been done. The king explained to them that when they had all caught Fili in Jade's room - on the floor - the prince had been in the process of offering the maiden his courting bead, a ceremony that is usually held in private. And that as he was in the process of placing the piece of jewelry at the end of the braid, her hair had become entangled in his vambrace, causing the two of them to fall upon the floor in Fili's attempt to dislodge himself. Thorin had once heard that the best lies were based mostly on fact, with only enough of a change thrown in so as not to raise doubt. That, and the details of such a falsehood were easier to keep straight as well, thus the king felt more comfortable weaving this tale when the basic truths had not been changed…much.

Thankfully, it all seemed to have paid off, and the suspicious dwarrows were suddenly more interested in the idea that Thorin's heir was already courting, than the fact that he was found lying on top of a maiden in her own private bedchambers. To have the crown prince seeking marriage, and be in a position to strengthen the line of Durin, was apparently a good thing in their eyes. Thus, instead of choosing to scold or berate Thorin for his nephew's reckless behavior, they began slapping him on the back and offering their hearty congratulations.

This had left Thorin in a much better, and forgiving mood, as he entered the dining hall and took his seat at the head table, nodding to and acknowledging all those around him. He had done his part to smooth things over and make peace…now it was all up to Fili and Jade.

Fili, he had faith in, for he knew that the young prince could win over the sternest of skeptics with a warm smile and a few gracious words - much the same way his younger nephew could. The number of scrapes those two had talked themselves out of as dwarflings could fill a book - and be a damn fine read to boot! Yet he knew very little about his sister's young maid. Was _she_ up to the task…would _she_ crumble under the pressure? Dis had related to him some of her past over dinner a few nights ago when he had questioned her attachment to the young lass. And while he admired Jade's strength and fortitude at having struck out on her own in search of her kin, Thorin would still withhold his good favor until the young dwarrowdam had proven herself to him. He did not condone what Fili and Kili had done, and he took pity on the maiden for the predicament she was now in, but had she only confessed her part in all this earlier, the trouble might have been avoided.

Yet, as the saying went, 'if wishes were ponies, then all dwarfs would ride', and there was no way to change things now.

Thorin was pulled from his thoughts by the sight of Kili and Dis entering the hall, both of them looking confident and unrattled as they made their way towards him. Once they had taken their seats, with Kili on Thorin's left, and Dis leaving the two empty chairs between her on his right, he gave a heavy sigh and rose to his feet. Instantly a hush fell over the room, each dwarf and dwarrowdam pausing in their meal and giving their sovereign their undivided attention. At his left, Balin shot him a wink and a nod, offering his support and encouragement on what he was about to say. As he looked out at the expectant faces before him, catching the knowing grins of the four ambassadors, who already guessed what he was about to say, he loudly cleared his throat and prepared to speak.

 _Here goes nothing…or perhaps everything,_ he thought to himself.

* * *

 **Time to face the music, it would seem!**

 **So, Fili is excited about this whole idea, Jade is nervous, and Kili...well, he just wishes it were him and Tauriel. ha ha.**

 **Let's see how these two deal with all the attention in the next chapter.**

 **Thanks.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **abc: Chapter 1:** Oh, good! You found it! When you sent in your review for Enthralled, I had no way of telling you I HAD started a new story, and just hoped you would find your way here. I'm sorry your RL sucks right now, and I hope this will brighten your day. Yes, that poor guard was like "really? the princes think either of them is being quiet? REALLY?" ha ha. Don't give yourself too many facepalms over this story...you might end up with a flap nose. I'm glad you like Jade's name. I struggle so much over naming OCs. That is the worst part EVER! **Chapter 2:** Yep, he knows that she knows, and she knows that he knows, and Kili knows that both know, but Dis don't know nothing. ha ha. Dis is good at uncovering secrets, she's had lots of practice with her two wayward lads. ha ha.

 **Emrfangirl:** Yep, you guessed it...a fake courtship. How could this plan go wrong? Yes, Thorin said he would never make them marry for political reasons, but for love. Of course he never dreamed in a million years one of them might have the hots for an ELF! Oh, the horror. ha ha. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

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 **Chapter 7**

 **Shomakhalinh - Guardian Lady or chaperone**

 **~X~**

* * *

As soon as the two were left alone outside the dining hall, Fili felt the need to further apologize for his part in all this. While deep down he still relished the situation, how it afforded him the opportunity to be around Jade and get to know her better, he would still have preferred it to have been _her_ choice. Not forced into it by his uncle, simply to save his and her reputations.

"I'm truly sorry about all this, Jade," Fili said in a low voice, noting that they were receiving a few curious looks from those passing by. "If I had known the true reason for your visit to my room that night, I would never have dared to intrude upon yours. I do hope you can forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, it was all a horrible misunderstanding," she quickly assured him. "I'm the one who should beg your forgiveness. I'm still trying to find my way, and comprehend things which are new to me, and I feared that announcing one more oddity about myself would not be looked upon approvingly. Especially that of my sleepwalking into other dwarves' bedrooms. I'm fully aware of how it must have appeared, and I don't blame you in the least for being confused…and curious. You are not to blame, you only wanted answers."

"And now that I have them, I'm completely shamed by my actions," Fili interjected. "I fully intend to make it up to you, Jade. I will endeavor to see that our time together is as pleasant and comfortable as possible. Our pretend courtship will not pass idly by…I promise you."

"Please, don't go to more trouble than you already must on my account," she whispered, also noticing the inquisitive stares. "Obviously, as the crown prince, you are very busy. Your time and attention are not always your own, and you certainly don't need the added grief of having to entertain me. You're already under such scrutiny…and once King Thorin makes his announcement, it will only get worse."

"I don't care," he assured her. "While it's true my life has ceased being mine alone the moment my uncle reclaimed the throne, it's the price that must be paid to ensure the continued success of Erebor. Kili too feels the pressure, even though he may never ascend the throne, but he's done much to rise to the challenge. My brother and I fully support Thorin, and are willing to go to any lengths to see that his kingship succeeds. We followed him through goblin filled mountains, battles with orcs, and even the spider infested forests of Mirkwood for that very reason. So if he now asks that I spend some time with a beautiful dwarrowdam, who am I to argue?" This last part he said with such an endearing grin, that Jade could not help but reciprocate. "You have a very beautiful smile. I will endeavor to see that you do so more often."

Jade found herself blushing at his words, and while there were still many butterflies racing around in her stomach…at least they were now flying in formation. Fili's calm and assured manner had done much to put her mind at ease. Yet the moment they heard Thorin begin to speak from inside the room, all her panic returned.

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"Friends, comrades, citizens of Erebor, and honored guests," he began, looking around the room as he addressed those listening. "Tonight I would ask you to join me and my kin in a toast. For not only do we have the good fortune of regaining the company of my much beloved sister, Princess Dis, to the mountain, but I have news concerning my first nephew and heir, Prince Fili. It is my great pleasure to announce that he, and a newly relocated dwarrowdam by the name of Jade, have consented to begin a formal courtship with the view to marriage." At this the room erupted into loud cheers, clapping and stomping of feet as the dwarves of Erebor became elated by the news.

Thorin saw the shocked looks on the faces of several from the original company, probably wondering why _they_ had not been notified of this auspicious occasion sooner. In fact, Dwalin, who was now sitting beside his brother, sent the king a murderous glare, obviously believing news such as this should have already been run by him. Not because the stalwart warrior believed he had any say in whom Fili should or shouldn't court, but due to security reasons and for the protection of the royal family – which _was_ his main priority. When things had calmed down a bit, Thorin raised his hand to bring the room back to silence.

"I do not have to tell you how pleased I am, and that the prospect of a marriage for either of my sister-sons only strengthens my rule and the illustrious line of Durin. So, I ask you to raise your glasses, as I wish them only the best. To Prince Fili and Lady Jade!" At this he picked up his goblet and held it high, hearing all repeat his toast before downing whatever they too were drinking.

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When Fili heard Thorin's final words, he gave Jade a reassuring smile as he tucked her shaking hand in the crook of his arm, leading her into the room with his head held high. As he expected, the room once more exploded in a round of applause and calls of congratulations. A few of the more familiar dwarves even reached out to slap him on the back, offering their good wishes as he and Jade made their way to the royal table.

Fili courteously pulled out the chair beside him for his intended, making sure she was seated before he too sat down, taking his place at his uncle's right hand. It took a while for the room to return to a normal din, and even longer before everyone stopped staring at the new couple. This was indeed a very momentous occasion in the Lonely Mountain, for should the two choose to marry, it would be the first wedding in Erebor since the eradication of Smaug.

"You did wonderfully," Dis whispered to Jade as she leaned in closer to her. She had noticed how the dam had not taken her eyes off the floor the whole way, looking like a rabbit among a pack of wolves, but she had held her ground and not run. A victory for sure, in Dis' eyes. "Now, try to relax and eat something. Have a drink of the wine, it will help settle your nerves."

Jade was not sure about that, but she smiled back at Dis nonetheless. Fili, either having heard what his mother said, or just simply trying to be helpful, reached out and began to fill her plate with the contents of several dishes nearby. After watching him heap on more than she could possibly consume, she placed her hand over her plate to stop him.

"I'm perfectly capable of serving myself," she insisted, yet her smile conveyed only gratitude for his concern. "If I were to eat all that, I would surely burst!"

"As the one now courting you, it is my _duty_ to see to your care," he explained, already having noted several nods of approval over his actions from those in the room. "One of the things a suitor must prove, is that he can properly provide for his wife-to-be. And while I cannot claim to have grown this food myself, or hunted for it personally, the least I can do is see that you receive a good portion before my ravenous brother devours the lot."

"Hey!" Kili interjected, trying to sound offended around the oversized mouthful he was currently chewing on. "If I recall, it was _you_ that Mother called a glutton when we were growing up."

"I was no glutton, I was simply a growing dwarf," Fili shot back. "And I was always twice your size, so I needed more food than you."

"That's only because I was younger, and mostly since you ate the majority of my portions as well!" Kili continued to tease.

"That is enough, you two," Dis broke in, silencing their entertaining squabble. "It would not do for you to embarrass yourselves in front of Jade so soon. Let the poor lass at least _imagine_ that my sons are somewhat civilized before she learns the horrible truth." She then reached over and patted Jade's hand sympathetically. "I blame their uncle when they get like this…for they certainly never inherited any such behavior from me!"

The sudden, and rather loud snort that came from Thorin, startled not only Jade but a few others sitting nearby.

"Is that so, little sister?" the mighty king under the mountain questioned, leaning forward so that he could make eye contact with her around Fili and Jade. "If I recall correctly, and I very much believe I do, you and Frerin were far worse than your two sons ever were. You were thick as thieves and caused twice as much havoc. If Smaug had not invaded Erebor when he did, you and my little brother would have certainly brought the mountain to its knees long ago!"

Jade's eyes went from Thorin to Dis, and then back again, eager to hear more about any trouble her mistress might have caused as a dwarfling. Yet she was not oblivious to the brief look of sorrow that crossed the princess' face at the mention of Frerin. Jade knew the younger prince had lost his life in the battle for Moria, and Dis had mentioned him several times, yet always with a hint of sadness. It was clear that she still grieved over the loss of her brother, just as she did Flinn, her husband and sons' father. Yet, tonight, surrounded by family and a lighthearted mood, the mention of Frerin did not seem to dampen her spirits. If anything it seemed to fuel her determination to defend herself against Thorin's accusations.

"Of course we would team up, we had to when pitted against you, Brother!" she explained. "You were far too big for your britches, and we felt it was our solemn duty to take you down a peg whenever we could." She then gave him a very pointed glare, one filled with humor, yet a bit of fire as well. "And if you should ever let that crown and title go to your head, Thorin dear, I would be more than happy to give you a reminder of just how irritating a little sister I can be. And don't think I won't!"

By now all those at the table, Balin and Dwalin included, were roaring with laughter, for they all knew just how serious it was to cross Dis in any way. Jade was enjoying this little episode, feeling like she was being included in this illustrious family…even if it was only make-believe. She had loved her adoptive parents and extended family very much…yet deep down she had always felt like a piece of her heart was missing. Now, to be surrounded by those of her own kind, to be laughing and joking with them, was filling the hole that had lay empty for decades. She was a dwarf, and ever since she had traveled to Ered Luin, and now Erebor, she felt like she had finally come home.

Fili took note of how Jade seemed to have relaxed, her smile genuine and her laughter infectious. It was strange to him that such small gestures tugged at an unknown part of him, one that had lay dormant for over eight decades.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked, leaning over to whisper into her ear. The act seemed to startle Jade, causing her smile to fade and a nervous look to take its place.

"Yes…I am, Your Highness," she stammered, becoming a bit flustered by his sudden nearness.

" _Fili_ …you must remember to call me Fili," he told her, the little metal clips at the end of his mustache braids tickling her neck as he spoke. "And it would not do for you to appear so nervous whenever I go to speak with you in private like this. Smile…or at least pretend that I said something funny, and laugh. It will go a long way in convincing those watching that we are comfortable with each other." When she still seemed a bit confused and unsure, he continued on. "Just imagine Kili sitting over there with a chicken on his head. The old hen has just laid an egg, now two, and then three, each one stacking up on the other, making the bird rise higher and higher. Until, at last, they can no longer hold the weight and they all crack, covering my brother in a gooey mess and wiping that smug look off his face."

This did the trick, and not only did it make Jade smile, but laugh out loud as well, causing a few dwarves to turn to see what might have been so amusing. Yet even their stares did not wipe the smile off her face, as Jade was left picturing Kili, just as his brother had described him.

"That's more like it," Fili smiled, pulling back as he gave her a playful wink. "Now all the gossips can spend the next half an hour wondering what scandalous things I might have said to cause you to smile and blush so prettily." And with a prideful look, he turned his attention back to his plate, yet continued to steal little side glances at his intended every now and again.

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They had just finished their meal when the four delegates rose from their seats and approached the King's table, bowing low to Thorin before turning their attention to the young couple. Fili steeled himself for a reprimand, figuring he had it coming for being caught in such a compromising position earlier. Yet he was surprised when instead, they offered him sincere congratulations, as well as a few less then dignified compliments he could have done without.

"Glad to see you have done the honorable thing by the lass, Your Highness," one of them said, his eyes straying from Fili to Jade. "Though I can't say I would have blamed you, had you been sampling the goods a bit early. You have chosen well, Prince."

"Aye, there are not many dwarrowdams to be had between here and the Misty Mountains," another one added. "I can see why you wasted no time choosing her as a gem for your royal crown, wise not to let any other suitors beat you out of her hand…or any of her other lovely parts."

Fili could feel his temper rising as he saw Jade look away, her face turning several shades of red at the ambassador's crude and rather thoughtless words. While anywhere else, he might have simply accepted their backhanded praise and laughed it off as typical male dwarf talk, Fili knew their speech had insulted Jade, and he would not stand for it! He was in the process of standing up, prepared to give them a stern dressing down for speaking about her in such a manner, when Thorin, who had heard every word, spoke up.

"While I am certain you meant no disrespect to my nephew's intended, I would advise you to rethink your speech and remember that you are not in some backwater tavern talking about a willing barmaid," the king warned, his tone calm, yet stern. "I explained the situation to you, and I would advise that you accept what I said without further question or insinuation. Fili and Jade's courtship will be carried on with the utmost decorum and morality, befitting a prince of Erebor. Now, I believe an apology to the lady is in order."

The delegates stood there with their mouths gaping open for a moment before they regained their composure, all four – even the ones who said nothing – began falling over themselves to offer words of regret.

"A thousand apologies, my Lord and Lady," the one who had been the most offensive begged. "My words were not intended to insult in any way. Please forgive me."

Fili sat back and crossed his arms, but seeing nothing but sincerity, and honest fear, in the eyes of the men before him, his ire cooled.

"I am willing to overlook the incident and blame it on the wine and good cheer," he began, glancing over at Jade as he reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. "But only if my intended sees fit to excuse you as well."

Jade's eyes followed her arm to where her hand was now held in his gentle grasp. Fili had touched her a few times already that day, but somehow this was different. This time it was done out of his wish to comfort her, to offer her his strength in the face of the embarrassing situation she now found herself in. She hated being the center of attention and yet as the one being courted by the prince, she realized she had best get used to it. Jade knew she needed to speak - to offer forgiveness or condemnation for the perceived offense. And with Fili's strong fingers wrapped around hers, she somehow found the courage to do so.

Lifting her head and giving the nervous dwarves an understanding smile, she nodded her head politely.

"I do indeed pardon your words, and harbor no ill-will or malice against you," she informed them, earning her several wide grins and heavy sighs of relief from the lot. "And I do apologize as well, for the odd and rather unexpected situation you walked in upon today. I hope you will not think any less of Prince Fili, or myself, over the silly misunderstanding."

"Not at all!" the spokesman for the group assured her. "And your willingness to overlook our thoughtless tongues is the mark of your fine character. We would be honored to call you a princess of Erebor, when the time comes. You have our loyalty and support, Lady Jade," he said, bowing before her as the other three followed suit. They next turned to Thorin and did the same to him. "As do you, Your Majesty."

The four of them quickly excused themselves, wishing to leave on good terms and not risk further insulting the royal family in any way. Fili could not help but beam with pride as he brought Jade's hand up to his lips and brushed the back of her knuckles with a brief kiss. She had withstood not only a rowdy and rambunctious dinner with his family, but she also held her head high and conducted herself like a princess. His admiration for her was growing by leaps and bounds.

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The rest of the evening was spent talking, either between those at the royal table, or with others who approached to offer their congratulations and good will. Jade met many that night, including a large number of the ones who had accompanied Thorin on his quest to retake Erebor. Of the ones she was introduced to, she liked the friendly Bofur, the shy Ori, and the cheeky Nori the best. Balin and Dwalin had intrigued her from the start, for while they were obviously brothers, they were as different as night and day. There appeared to be a considerable gap between their ages, for Balin's long white beard betrayed his advancing years. Yet the twinkle in his eye, and his quick and generously offered smiles, made him one of Jade's favorites.

His brother, Dwalin, however, with his gruff manners and intimidating appearance, left her a bit uneasy. She could tell that winning his good graces would not be done easily, yet once had, the warrior would prove to be a fierce ally. She hoped to meet more of the illustrious dwarves who braved a dragon to aid their king, for there were several who had not been present for dinner, either taking care of other duties, or back in their chambers dining with their own families.

As the evening drew to a close and diners began to disperse, several calls were sent up from one of the more rowdy tables in the back, encouraging their prince to grace them all with a display of affection towards his intended. This was not altogether unexpected, and the two would have been well within their courting rights to give in to the request. Yet Fili immediately knew that this was neither the time nor the place…at least not for Jade. Besides, if and when he chose to steal his first kiss from Jade, he would much prefer for it to be done in private, and not given out of some sense of duty. So before Jade had a chance to become shocked or nervous, robbing him of her much desired smile once again, Fili got to his feet and held up his hands for silence.

"My friends," he began, addressing them in a kindly manner. "While I would like nothing better than to oblige you in your request, I fear that I must respectfully decline. For should I share even the most innocent of kisses with this fair lass, I am certain that my heart would be lost forever, and I fully intend to allow the Lady Jade to set the pace of our courtship. I trust you understand my internal battle and will forgive my noncompliance in this matter."

Fili's words won him a round of cheers from those who had made the request, showing that they did indeed respect his decision. Some even shouted out encouragements to remain strong and hold true to his word. And while their response left a small grin on his face, it got even larger when he turned and glanced down at Jade, instantly catching her look of gratitude over what he had done. At first he had been a bit disappointed that he had not been able to fulfil their request and kiss the lass like he wanted, yet to have gained her trust and admiration by turning them down… _that_ was worth more to him than gold. And for a dwarf, that was indeed saying a lot!

"Might I have the privilege of walking you back to your quarters, My Lady?" he asked, extending his hand to her as he helped her rise.

Jade was still speechless from his gallant act, and so she could only nod her agreement. However, having already had to avert one diplomatic crisis, and not wishing to chance another, Thorin quickly spoke up.

"Kili…you go with them and serve as _Shomakhalinh_ ," he ordered, much to the instant dismay of the younger prince.

"What? Why do I have to play chaperone?" he whined, tossing his napkin down on his empty plate and standing up. "That's a job for an old spinster or someone who knows all the rules of propriety."

"Perhaps," agreed Thorin, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "And while I realize that _you_ know little to nothing on the subject of decorum, I intend to see that you pay for the part you played in all this. Thus, you will serve as Fili and Jade's escort whenever and wherever I deem necessary. Now go, and if there is even a whisper of any further scandal…I will hold _you_ personally responsible."

Jade instantly felt pity for Kili and his displeasure over the king's words, but apparently she was the only one. For no sooner were Thorin's orders given, Fili burst out laughing, followed by Dis, Balin and Dwalin.

"Well, if this isn't a case of the fox watching the hen house!" the gruff, tattooed warrior roared, slapping his palm on the table several times in merriment. "I suppose the lad would at least know what tricks to watch out for."

"And who better to anticipate Fili's actions, since he was the one who most likely taught them to Kili in the first place," Balin added, laughing just as much as his brother.

"Now, stop it, both of you," Dis ordered, trying her best to appear somewhat serious, yet unable to stop her own giggles. "You do wrong to insinuate that Kili learned all his scandalous behavior from Fili. For as their mother, I am quite certain that much of them Kili discovered quite on his own…and the rest he got from you, Thorin!"

While this statement had everyone practically rolling on the floor, Thorin sobered up immediately, appearing offended by such accusations. Yet even he could not hide the small grin that snuck out as he nodded his head, as if contemplating the possibility of his sister being right…again.

So it was, amid this merry scene, Fili escorted Jade out of the dining room and back to her chambers for the night – with Kili following close behind, keeping an ever watchful eye on the two. When they arrived at her chambers, the crown prince bowed low and once more kissed the back of her hand.

"Thank you for a very enjoyable evening, My Lady," he told her. "I look forward to conducting you around the mountain tomorrow, as we continue our ruse. I trust that I will see you at breakfast?"

"I…I suppose so, if your mother can spare me from my duties," she replied, her hand all tingly from where his lips had touched.

"Your one and only duty is to be seen with me," he explained. "Amad will be the first to agree with this, and you need not concern yourself with any responsibilities as my mother's maid. She is quite capable of taking care of herself."

"While I have always thought so, not even sure why she bothered to take me on, I still feel I need to discuss this with her before I abandon my position altogether," Jade insisted. "I owe your mother a great deal, and I will not so easily leave her by the wayside when I value her friendship so much."

"Your loyalty does you credit," Fili nodded. "Then I will call upon you in the morning and we will speak with Amad together, working out an amicable solution that pleases all. But until then…I bid you goodnight." With a final bow and a playful wink of his eye, Fili turned and rejoined his brother, who had been waiting just out of earshot, yet still in full view.

Jade watched Fili go, smiling as he threw his arm over Kili's shoulder and the two of them made their way down the steps, off to who knew where. Her heart was full that night when she entered her chambers, practically floating across the room as she readied herself for bed. A year ago, Jade had felt lost and alone, having no family and few friends to fall back on. Yet now, she had a home, at least one new friend, and a sense of belonging that had eluded her most of her life.

What had begun as a disaster, was slowly turning into what could possibly be the best thing to ever happen to her. So with the image of Prince Fili dancing behind her eyelids, and a secret smile on her lips, Jade fell into a very peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **Well, she made it through dinner...let's hope she can keep it up for a bit longer. ha ha.**

 **Fili appeared to have fun, and is looking forward to his duty of escorting Jade around the mountain.**

 **Kili is less than pleased with HIS new role as Chaperone.**

 **More fun to come!**

 **Thanks**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Emrfangirl: An avalanche of Fili loving? Well...I could do with some of that! I think Fili will do his best to keep it under control at first, since at this point even HE doesn't know his true feelings. And that's fine, it will give them time to get to know each other and build something...if that be my desire, mind you...and if it is, I'm not saying. ha ha. Thanks for the kind review.**


	8. Chapter 8

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 **Chapter 8**

 **~X~**

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When no knock came to her door the following morning, Jade returned to her normal routine and went to attend to her mistress. She found Dis in the sitting room, already dressed and laying out a small platter of breakfast items. When she saw the young dwarrowdam enter, a warm smile spread over her face.

"Good morning," Dis greeted, gesturing for her to sit down and join her. "Would you care for some tea?"

"Lady Dis," Jade began, a bit stunned by the hospitality. "I should be attending to you, not the other way around."

"Nonsense," Dis replied, taking her own seat and pouring the steaming liquid into the pair of cups. "I have not been a true princess for quite a long time, and I have labored, cooked, cleaned, and done for myself quite nicely during all that time. And no matter what title I might hold, I may never get used to being waited on like I would have had the dragon never come. I have kept you on as my maid more out of want than need, for I have truly grown to enjoy your companionship, Jade. I value _you_ , not your services…even though those have been exemplary as well."

"Are…are you dismissing me?" Jade asked, her eyes growing wide and her mouth dropping open. "Have my actions offended you…have I dishonored your family?"

"No! Never!" Dis was quick to assure her. "Yet Fili came by earlier, which was quite a shock to see him up at such an hour, and informed me of your concerns. I will indeed miss your company, as well as the services you have so expertly rendered, but until all this courtship business is over, you need to focus solely on that, and not me. I am thus giving you leave… _temporarily._ It would not do for the future bride of the prince of Erebor to be seen attending to laundry and other chores, even if it is for his own mother. No, you must conduct yourself as a lady from here on out. And before you grow all nervous, I will help you in all matters pertaining to that station. You need not worry."

This did indeed cause Jade to lose a bit of her fear, this was all happening so quickly that she had not given much thought to how her life would be altered during this charade. Pretending to be courted was bad enough, but having to act like a lady befitting the attention of a prince was a whole new thought. It was a relief to know that Dis was there to lean on, and supply answers to all her questions.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you have ever done for me, My Lady," Jade said in all sincerity. "I really don't know where I would be without your kind assistance."

"Knowing you, I'm sure you would be just fine," the older dwarrowdam replied with motherly affection. "You have more spirit within you than any other dwarrowdam I have ever met. You might not have been raised among your kind, but you do them credit nonetheless." She then pushed the platter of food over towards her. "Now, eat up. I sent Fili on to breakfast alone, so that we could have this chat. He will not be pleased if I failed to see to your nourishment. He is taking his role as suitor very seriously."

"I wish he wouldn't," Jade murmured, reaching out to sample the meats and pastries offered. "I don't want him to go to any trouble on my account."

"My son brought any trouble he might be experiencing upon himself, and he knows it. And while I'm saddened by the fact that you two must play false during all this, I think it's a fine opportunity for you to get out, see the mountain, and meet those who live within it. You have always been a bit shy, Jade, preferring to stand on the outside looking in, and if I know my lads, they will not allow you to continue to do so. They have always been the hub of activity, drawing everyone into their antics and adventures like moths to a flame. They get a lot of that from their father, Flinn, for he had the very same energetic personality. And while I know you weren't given much of a choice in this matter, I would encourage you to make the most of it. Enjoy yourself, Jade. For I think it is high time you did."

And while she was still a bit unsure of what it all meant, Jade nodded obediently and sipped at her tea, her mind a whirl with both excitement and fear.

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"Where's Jade?" Kili asked, digging into his breakfast with unabashed abandonment.

"With Amad," Fili responded, looking a bit dejected by the idea. "She said she wanted to speak with her."

"Are you in more trouble?" Kili inquired, a worried expression on his face.

"I don't think so…I'm guessing it's just female talk," yet his eyes were now filled with even more concern. "At least I _hope_ that's all it was. She told me to come back in a few hours to escort Jade around the mountain, so I must not be in _too_ much hot water."

Just then Bofur, Ori, Dwalin and Gloin arrived, sitting down around the two princes and helping themselves to the platters of food.

"So where's your lass?" Dwalin asked, unaware that this was already the topic at hand. "You've not managed to offend her already, have you, lad?" he joked.

"She's with my amad this morning," Fili informed the burly captain, giving him a sour look. "I'll be seeing her later."

"Good, good," nodded Bofur. "Smart lass. Always wise to make nice with the parents right off the bat. Although, since she apparently knew your amad before meeting _you_ , I would say that's one hurtle you've already put past ya. What does Thorin think of Lady Jade? He seemed rather supportive last night…no objections to her character or kin I take it?"

"No…Thorin is…" Fili was a bit unsure about how to describe his uncle's feelings on the matter.

"Uncle is all for the courtship," Kili broke in, saving his brother from any embarrassment. "He's almost insistent upon it, you might say."

"Well, I thought she seemed very nice, and is quite pretty," Ori added, giving Fili an encouraging smile. "I've overheard several dwarrows say they would give their best axe for a chance to court her, but they were all too afraid of crossing the princess for an opportunity to be introduced."

"Really?" Fili was not sure he liked the sound of that, and as he let his eyes drift over the crowded room, he began to wonder just how _many_ might be eagerly waiting for him to fail at this courtship, thus giving them a chance to court Jade. Hadn't his mother already told them that she had been beating potential suitors away with a stick back in Ered Luin? And here in Erebor, with over four-hundred single dwarves from Dain's army alone, any young, unattached dwarrowdam would be a prize highly sought after. Fili suddenly realized he owed his mother, and her stern reputation, a word of thanks for any opportunity he might currently have with Jade.

"Don't worry, lad," Dwalin laughed, reaching out to slap him on the back. "What dam in her right mind would look any further once being courted by you…and a prince to boot?"

"So you think she's only after my title?" Fili asked, sounding a bit offended by the suggestion. Of course he knew that was not the case, seeing as how it was all a ruse, but the idea still stung his pride.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," the older warrior huffed in rebuttal. "You and Kili both have a lot going for you besides being heirs to the throne."

"Dwalin's right," Gloin broke in. "You're a fine warrior, an honorable lad, and you have a good head on your shoulders. The lass would be a fool not to notice that."

Fili nodded his head in thanks for his cousin's words, still, it hurt him more than he cared to admit to think that his claim to the throne could ever influence someone to play false with his affections. Still, he supposed that was what the courtship period was designed for…to find out for sure who was truly right for who…and why.

"Gloin," Fili began, looking at his older cousin thoughtfully, "You've courted before, and were successful in finding a wife."

"Aye, and have a fine son to prove it," the proud dwarf nodded.

"What were some of the things _you_ did to impress your intended? What did you talk about? What should I say?" Fili felt a bit embarrassed to ask, but he was completely out of his element on this, and felt the need for some sage advice.

"Every lass is different," Gloin responded, sitting back in his chair as he stroked his impressive beard as if in deep thought. "Find out what her interests are and then build on that. The beginning is always hard, even awkward at times, but one way to know if she's the right one, is that it will get easier. In no time at all, my Dena and I were conversing and carrying on like we'd known each other forever…and that's when I knew she was the one for me."

"Take Lady Jade out for a picnic," Ori suggested, eager to add in his thoughts. "Pick her some flowers, and play your fiddle for her."

"Fix it so she's around when you're in the training ring," offered Dwalin, always one to be thinking about battle. "Nothing impresses a lass more than a display of strength and fighting technique. After all, you're supposed to prove that you can protect her, so show her that she has nothing to worry about in _that_ department."

"And if you happen to be shirtless at the time…well, then lucky her!" Bofur laughed, watching as Fili's face reddened just a bit. "Show the lass what's she's getting."

"That's enough," Kili said, coming to his brother's defense. While he realized his friends were only being playful, he alone knew the true reasons behind his brother's courtship, and he would not have this made any more difficult for Fili than necessary. Although, from what his brother had said, Kili got the distinct impression that this was not _too_ much of a hardship at all. Still, he was quick to stand at Fili's side. "I'm sure he'll do just fine on his own, and he doesn't need any embarrassing suggestions from you." He looked directly at the still snickering Bofur when he said the last part.

"You're just overly protective since Thorin put you in charge of playing chaperone," Dwalin laughed, having been privy to their king's decree the previous night. "Just remember, when it's your turn to swoon over a pretty pair of eyes, it'll most likely be Fili who'll be assigned to watch over _you_. So cut the lad some slack with his dam, or he'll be twice as ornery with you!"

"Are you speaking from experience there, Dwalin?" Gloin chuckled, elbowing the gruff warrior in the ribs.

"Oh, I did my time playing _Shomakhalinh_ for Balin when he was courting, but no dam turned out to be his match," Dwalin announced. "And thus far, my brother has never had the opportunity to pay me back."

"Hmmm," Kili muttered, looking over at Fili with suspicious eyes. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Which part, Naddith?" the blond prince asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "The idea of being nice to me, or that of making my life a living hell, thinking that I will never be in a positon to reciprocate?"

"I'm not sure yet…but you'll be the first to know," Kili laughed, dodging as his brother reached out to slap him playfully on the head.

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Two hours later, on the dot, Fili knocked at his mother's chambers, squaring his shoulders as he waited for a word of admittance. Instead, the door was opened by Jade, looking both happy and nervous to see him.

"Have you come to give me a tour of the mountain?" she asked, sounding delightfully eager.

"Not the _entire_ mountain," he laughed. "For that would take weeks, and there are still areas where it is unsafe to venture, due to the dragon leaving it unstable and dangerous. But, I could certainly show you a few of my favorite places, if you would like."

"I would enjoy that very much," she nodded.

"Have a nice time," came a call from within the room. "Just stay in public areas, or I'll have to hunt down Kili to tag along and watch you. Propriety, you know."

"Yes, Amad," Fili answered back, holding out his arm, encouraging Jade to take it. When she did, tucking hers through the crook of his elbow, he smiled broadly, pulling the door shut as they left.

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"I had no idea Erebor was this big, or grand," Jade told him as he escorted her through the maze of halls and over walkways on their tour.

"Neither did I until we arrived," Fili admitted, still a bit awestruck himself. "I grew up on tales of the mountain, but even I was stunned by what I saw when we first entered. Granted, it's been cleaned up considerably, for it would seem a dragon can make quite a mess if left unchecked."

"Was the dragon truly terrible?" Jade asked, knowing that she was talking to one of the few dwarves in Middle Earth who had actually seen it.

"I won't lie, he was beyond frightening," Fili admitted, unashamed by such a confession. "More than once I thought Kili and I were going to be fried to a crisp by his fire…the rest of us as well. Yet, it was not myself, or any of our company, who actually felled the foul beast. We owe that accomplishment to Bard, the current king of Dale. It was his arrow who pierced Smaug's hide, bringing him down over Lake Town."

"Is that why the king has been sending so much aid to help rebuild Dale?" she inquired, enjoying the ease in which they had been speaking. When Fili raised an eyebrow, obviously impressed that she was aware of such things, she looked down, blushing slightly. "I promise I don't eavesdrop, but when serving your mother it's difficult not to overhear what's being said between her and your uncle."

"It's no secret," he laughed, easing her concerns. "Thorin is indeed grateful to King Bard, but I think he also feels somewhat responsible as well. Lake Town was completely destroyed by Smaug before he was killed, but even then, when the orcs attacked, the men of Esgaroth joined their swords with those of the dwarves, along with the elves and eagles…not to mention Beorn, the skin changer. My uncle has pledged to offer aid and support to those who stood by us that day."

"Even the elves?" she pressed, the tone of her voice revealing her amazement over this.

"I think your ears have heard more than you're letting on," Fili chuckled, knowing Thorin's dislike for the residence of Mirkwood, their king especially. "I think everyone knows just how our kind feels about Thranduil and his kin. Even when we passed through Rivendell, there was tension on both sides. Still, the fact that even against unsurmountable odds, the elves chose to fight at our side has gone a long way in healing the rift that broke the alliance between our people so long ago. I'm not saying Uncle is ready to welcome them into Erebor with open arms, but there is talk of treaties and mutual trade."

"I'm glad to hear that," Jade nodded. "Growing up, I had several chances to journey to Rivendell with my father, for he did business with the elves. I found the city of Imladris to be wonderful and fascinating, with all the architecture, waterfalls, and fountains."

"Yes, the fountains _were_ very nice," Fili mused, grinning to himself as he recalled that he and his fellow dwarves had bathed in one of them, much to the elves' displeasure. "And while I agree that the place was almost magical, I would still prefer solid stone under my feet, and the security of a mountain of rock over my head, any day." It pleased Fili greatly when instead of disagreeing, Jade stopped and looked around, nodding her head as her eyes seemed to shine with admiration for her surroundings. "Still, you have lived many places it would seem, both above and below ground. Will you tell me of your time spent among men? Mother has mentioned it, but I would like to hear it from you."

"I'm sure you would find it strange, yet, since I knew no better, to me it was quite normal," she informed him. "We lived in the shadow of the Misty Mountains, near the Gap of Rohan, in a house made of wood with a thatched roof. Not the safest of dwellings, but the men of our village fought to protect us from danger. We worked the land, tended livestock, and hunted for our food, much like all races do. It never occurred to me growing up that I was different from those around me, other than perhaps my size. Yet when my friends and kin began to mature much faster than me, often taking a mate and having children while I remained an adolescent, it became quite clear that I was different."

"You did know you were a dwarf though…right?" Fili inquired, extremely interested in her story.

"Oh, yes, my parents did not hide that from me," she quickly assured him. "As soon as I was old enough to understand, I was told how Gunnar and the men of our village found me in the woods while out hunting. A band of orcs had apparently attacked a small caravan of dwarves heading towards the Blue Mountains, killing all except me." She stopped there, getting a far off look in her eyes, as if she were lost in a memory.

"I'm sorry, does speaking about this upset you?" Fili was worried that he might have overstepped in some way, causing her pain in the telling.

"No…it's fine," she assured him with a sad smile. "It grieves me, yes, but I do not remember my dwarf parents. I was told that my mother had shielded me with her own body, protecting me so that I alone survived. When Gunnar and his men came upon the scene, they were able to overpower the surviving orcs, yet were sadly too late to save any others. They buried the dead, marking the graves in case anyone came along to lay claim to their bodies, but as the years went by, no one did, and my identity was never discovered. The only clue I have to who I am is this." Jade pulled on the small cord around her neck, bringing forth a shiny medallion engraved with dwarf runes.

" _My little jewel_?" Fili said, reading the words written there. "What does it mean?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," she replied with a slight frown. "I was wearing it when they found me, and they didn't find any other forms of identification."

"Did your foster parents not try and locate other dwarves? To find out where you had come from, or at least take you to the nearest dwarf settlement? It would have been the logical thing to do," Fili was confused, for had any dwarf come across a foundling child of men, that's what they would have done, attempting to place them back with their own kind.

"I honestly believe that _was_ their original intention," she told him with an understanding smile. "Yet Gunnar and Ursa were never able to have children of their own. And when my father returned with a babe in his arms, my mother said she felt as if her prayers had been answered. They told the village that they would turn me over to the first dwarves they came across or make the trek to the Blue Mountains themselves when the weather turned better. Yet no dwarves came through, and as the seasons changed and summer arrived, my mother argued that I was still too little for such a major journey, so they decided to wait a year…then two."

"And then three…and four?" Fili continued, sensing where this story was going. "It would appear that the perfect time never arrived, for in truth they did not wish to part with you at all, did they?"

"I harbor no ill will towards them for their choice," Jade assured him. "They were wonderful parents, who gave me a home, food, shelter, and a great deal of love. They were kind, supportive, and eager for me to learn all they had to teach. My mother showed me how to cook, spin, and sew, while my father shared with me all his knowledge of farming and hunting. I also got to travel with my father when he would go to trade, learned the ways of the forest, and even visited Rivendell, learning the language of the elves."

"Yet nothing of your dwarf ancestry?" he pressed.

"No…there was no one to teach me about that," she admitted sadly. Suddenly her eyes brightened at a thought. "Though once, in Imladris, Lord Elrond himself took notice of me, and gifted me with a small book on the history of the seven dwarf lords created by Mahal."

"A book about dwarves, written by elves?" Fili asked, his eyebrows coming together in a look of skepticism. While the young prince never held a strong hatred for elves like Thorin, he was still a bit miffed by the fact that the king of Mirkwood had taken them prisoner and locked them in his dungeons. "I wouldn't believe everything that book had to say, it would be better if you would check out the libraries here in Erebor, if you want more accurate information. Or better yet, ask an actual dwarf…like me."

At first Jade had been a bit upset by Fili's less than understanding attitude, yet the goofy grin on his face at his last statement did much to dissipate her anger.

"Regardless, it was very generous of Lord Elrond to give it to me, and I will continue to treasure that book as one of my most prized possessions," Jade stated firmly. "But, while my adopted family never hid my true parentage, or discouraged me from learning about it, neither did I feel the urge to leave what I already had, in search of the unknown. Not until their deaths, that is. And even then, I remained in the village for a while longer, moving in with my cousin Sella after her husband was killed and helped her raise her son, Brayden. However, once he was a grown man, and left to join the Riders of Rohan, Sella also remarried, leaving nothing to hold me there."

"You had no one? No suitors? No one wishing for you to stay behind so that they might court you?" Fili found the idea of any others, especially those of the race of men, having a claim on Jade's heart very upsetting.

"I was a dwarf living among men," she laughed, finding the idea a bit preposterous. "And while I harbor no prejudice against any race, the fact that I only stood as tall as the average man's waist was a bit off-putting to anyone seeking courtship. And those who _were_ willing to overlook our many differences and asked to pursue me…well, let's just say the feeling was never mutual. Thus I had no reservations about setting out to explore my true heritage, eventually leading me to Ered Luin."

"Well, I for one, am glad you did," Fili smiled.

"Even if my being here is causing you all this trouble?" she laughed. "Perhaps it might have been better for me to have stayed in the Dunlands."

"Never!" the dwarf prince gasped, placing far more stress on the word than he had meant to, causing him to pull back and try and cover over his statement. "I mean, without anyone left to protect you, it was wise for you to seek out the dwarves. At least _we_ would never allow a defenseless dwarrowdam to go wandering around in the wilds alone."

"I would hardly call myself defenseless," she chuckled.

"Do you know how to fight with a sword? Swing an axe, or shoot a bow?" Fili asked pointedly.

"Well…no," she admitted. "But I do…"

Jade never got to finish her sentence, for Fili grabbed hold of her hand and practically began to drag her down the corridor, a determined look on his face.

"If you had been raised by dwarves, as Mahal had intended, you would have been trained in some form of weaponry from a very early age," he explained as they went. "So by my reckoning, you are long overdue for your first lesson!"

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 **Dwarves do love their weapons!**

 **Did you enjoy the 'advice' Fili was given on how to court a lass? Other than Gloin, it was pretty much the blind leading the blind, ha ha.**

 **So, Fili and Jade are getting better acquainted it would see. Good for them! Now, on to the training yard!**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Guest:** Yes, she did...but I wouldn't call anything they ever do 'proper' ha ha. Fili IS liking how things are working out, but poor Kili, stuck being chaperone. He needs a lass of his own, don't you think? Glad you liked the visual of Kili with the chicken on his head laying eggs. Thanks!

 **Aranel Mereneth :** I sent you a reply to your account, but I can't remember if you forgot your password or not. So do you want me to answer there...or here...you decide. Glad you are enjoying my story. Thanks.

 **Emrfangirl:** Soooo, the story of the chicken and the eggs made YOU smile just like it did Jade. Good to know the joke is universally funny. ha ha. Thanks.


	9. Chapter 9

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 **Congratulations "purple-pygmy-puff16" for being my 100th reviewer!**

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 **Chapter 9**

 **~X~**

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Up until then, Jade had been having such a fun time with Fili that she didn't want it to end, yet her uncertainty about engaging in a weapons lesson had her wondering if she should simply bow out. Still, Fili seemed so enthusiastic about the idea, that she couldn't bring herself to say no. Not that she was opposed to learning a little bit of self-defense, but since she's always managed to get by with what little she _did_ know, Jade didn't quite see the need.

"So, what is your weapon of choice?" Fili asked, gesturing towards the weapons rack in the training arena, which displayed a variety of swords, axes, bows, and other things she didn't recognize. She was grateful that the room was empty at the time, for the last thing Jade wanted to do was make a fool of herself in front of an audience. "What feels the most comfortable in your hand?"

"A hoe?" she suggested, giving a little shrug.

 _"A hoe?_ Like for gardening?" Fili turned and stared at her in confusion.

"Well, I grew up in a village that farmed," she explained. "It was mostly the men who used large weapons…not the women."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, you are _not_ a woman, you're a dam, and dwarves make sure their females can not only defend themselves, but take down an enemy if need be," Fili huffed, reaching for one of the smaller practice swords and holding it out to her. "Now, take this, and we'll get started. As my intended, it is _my_ duty to see that you are not left without knowledge of the basics."

"Since we are only pretending to be courting…can I only _pretend_ to learn this stuff?" Jade asked, the heavy blade feeling rather alien in her hands.

"No," was Fili's firm answer, walking out to the middle of the area, another pair of practice swords in his hands. "Now, the first thing you should know is…"

And so, it went, the next hour spent with Fili showing Jade how to stand, how to hold the weapon, how to block a strike, and how to avoid getting her head chopped off during a battle. At first, she had seemed reluctant, but as the lessons went on, Fili was impressed with how quickly she picked up on things, impressing even him in the way she had progressed.

"When do I get to make a strike of my own?" she asked, breathing hard from avoiding the last few advances Fili had made on her with his blade.

"Not until you master the art of _avoiding_ them yourself," he informed her, straightening up as he stepped back, lowering his weapon. "But you are doing very well for a beginner. I would say you have the makings of a fine shield maiden."

"Thank you," she beamed, feeling rather pleased with herself as well. "But you know…I'm not completely without ability to defend myself."

"Knowing how to make a straight row in the dirt with a hoe is not exactly being able to defend yourself," Fili laughed, reaching out and taking the blade from her hands and returning it to the rack.

"I _can_ use a dagger too," she insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"To what…skin a rabbit?" Fili chuckled.

"Yes, but I can throw one as well," Jade informed him proudly.

"Really?" Fili was intrigued. "Why didn't you say so before?"

"I tried, but you cut me off," she huffed.

"Forgive me, My Lady," Fili grinned, bowing to her in apology. When he straightened up, he was holding a dagger in his hand, making Jade blink in surprise. _Where did that come from?_ "Care to demonstrate?"

Jade reached out and took the small blade from him, hefting it in one hand and then the other as she got the feel for it. The dagger was finely crafted, perfectly balanced and looked quite sharp. Fili knew his weapons, that was for sure. After a moment of contemplation, and getting used to its weight, she turned and threw the weapon at one of the practice dummies, striking it dead center between the eyes. When she turned back to stare at Fili, Jade was pleased by the expression of shock on his face.

"That was…impressive!" he admitted, taking his eyes off the hit and turning back to look at Jade. "Who taught you to do that?"

"My father," she beamed with pride. "Unlike most of the women in the village, I _did_ want to know how to use a weapon, but none of the blades were small enough for me. So he gave me a dagger and I practiced with it as often as I could. Came in pretty handy when I went hunting for rabbit." She grinned at him slyly. "And I could use it to skin my kill as well."

"Let's see if you can do that again," Fili urged, pulling another blade from off his person and handing it to her. "Aim for the heart this time."

Jade smiled and did as directed, planting the weapon right where he had told her to. Two more daggers found their way into her hand, causing her to stare at Fili in wonder. Where _did_ he have them hidden on him?

"Finish him off," Fili urged, waving his hand at the dummy.

Jade complied, placing one of the daggers in the neck and the final one in the groin, causing Fili to let out a low moan of sympathy for the fake opponent.

"I would say he's done for," the dwarrow chuckled, staring at the damage Jade had accomplished. "I think it would be wise to get you a few daggers to keep on you at all times. But you should still continue with your sword lessons. One can never be too prepared, you know."

"I would like that," Jade admitted, having enjoyed her lessons with Fili. He was a good teacher, not too harsh or critical, and easy to learn from. "And maybe, once I master the sword…I could try one of those axes?" She pointed to the deadly looking double edged weapon sitting on one of the racks, finding that it somehow spoke to her dwarfish side.

"Ahhh, got a taste for chopping, do ya? Dwalin will be pleased to hear that," Fili laughed. "He might even want to train you himself."

"Not you?" she asked, sounding shocked, and a bit disappointed, by the idea. Not that she had anything against Lord Dwalin, but she felt far more comfortable around Fili.

"I'm not exactly an expert with an axe," he admitted. "Swords are more my specialty. But as long as you don't expect finesse, I can get the job done." He then got a sly smile on his face, reaching out to tip her chin up with his finger. "Is there a reason you're opposed to Dwalin teaching you…instead of me?"

"No, of course not," she told him stubbornly, not wanting him to imagine that she favored _his_ company over the bald warrior…which she did. "I just figured that Lord Dwalin would be far too busy to bother showing me how to use an axe. That's all."

"I see," Fili grinned. "That is very considerate of you, My Lady. Yet, as _my_ intended, it would be an extension of his duty as captain of the guard to see that you are well prepared for your roll as princess of Erebor…and weapons training would be one of them."

"But…but I won't ever _be_ a princess!" she insisted, her eyes growing wide. "This is all a ruse!"

"Aye, but not everyone knows that, do they?" he pointed out, the thought oddly hurting him more than he cared to admit. "And it would be wise to keep up appearances, wouldn't it?"

"Yes…I suppose," she nodded, still looking a bit on edge by the idea. "I don't want to risk anyone becoming suspicious and thinking badly of you."

"Or you," he added. "Let's not forget that I'm more to blame for this situation than you. And if you have any doubt about that, just ask my uncle or my amad, they will set you straight."

"But I was the one who started all this by showing up in your bed," she reminded him. "I'm just relieved it was _your_ bed, and not someone else's…like the King's! I swear I would have marched right out of the mountain that very night, and never looked back!"

Fili couldn't help but laugh at the image of his uncle finding a pretty dam in his bed, curious as to what he might have done. Yet a second later, his smile was replaced by a frown and a feeling of jealousy over the idea. What _would_ Thorin have done if presented with a beautiful lass in his bed? Jade was striking, and his uncle _was_ after all a male. Again, the thought disturbed him more than he cared to admit. Shaking it off, Fili did his best to laugh along with Jade, not letting on how he truly felt.

"Well, I'm pleased that you did manage to find your way into _my_ room, and no one else's," he stated at last. "For now that gives me the opportunity to escort you around the mountain on my arm, and have all your attention for myself."

"Upon the order of your king," she reminded him. "And only until the delegates leave the mountain. And then I will politely decline your courtship and things can return to normal."

"Yet…until then, I do plan on enjoying myself," Fili insisted. "And I hope you do as well."

Before Jade could answer, there came a voice from the doorway.

"There you two are!" It was Dis, accompanied by Kili, the two making their way down to where the couple stood. "I've been looking for you Jade. I need you to come with me, for there are a few of the older dams that would like to meet you, and it's always better to get unpleasant things over with as quickly as possible."

"Unpleasant?" Jade questioned. "Will I not like them…or will they not like me?"

"I'm willing to bet a little of both," Dis said with a roll of her eyes. "They are the wives of some of Thorin's councilors, and from what I've found, not much pleases them. So don't take it personally, they could find fault with Yavanna herself, and she's the wife of Mahal!"

"If they won't like me…why do they want to meet me?" Jade questioned, looking more than a bit concerned.

"Because they would see it as a slight if you didn't present yourself to them, as if you would possibly need or desire their approval," Dis huffed. "Still, it's a small price to pay to keep the peace, and Thorin would more than likely appreciate us not making a stir among the dams. He's got enough on his plate right now."

"Well…if it's important, then I'm willing," Jade nodded, though still feeling rather unsettled by the idea. She then looked up at Fili, hope shining in her eyes. "Will you be coming too?"

"Not on your life!" he stated, holding up his hands and taking a step back. "They would eat me alive!" He then smiled at Jade. "You at least have a chance of making a good impression, and I fear my presence would only hamper that. I would rather face a hoard of orcs than that passel of dams."

"Well…that's reassuring," Jade said, giving a nervous laugh.

"Don't let him worry you," Dis said with a roll of her eyes. "He just knows that both he and Kili have not exactly endeared themselves to the dams over the years. Their cheeky nature and well-known pranks have ruffled a few feathers back in Ered Luin, and the dams are not the forgiving sort."

"In our defense, we were only dwarflings at the time," Kili protested. "It's not our fault they have such long memories. And it _was_ all in fun."

"Fun for you perhaps…but not for them, it would seem," Dis reminded her sons, though even she couldn't help but give a little snort of laughter. "Still, one must atone for their mistakes, and it would appear you have yet to do so in their eyes. Let's hope that Jade here can buy you some good will."

"What did you two do to them?" Jade questioned, suddenly very interested in the backstory.

"Nothing much…honest!" Kili stated in their defense. "And no one could prove anything!"

"Proving something, and knowing for a fact that we were behind the prank, apparently meant nothing to them," Fili sighed. "And really, how likely was it that a toad that size would have found its way into their teapot all by itself. We really didn't think things through."

"And you two laughing yourselves silly outside the door wasn't a giveaway or anything either, now was it?" Dis pointed out.

"Again…we were dwarflings!" Kili pleaded their case. "You can't expect us to have thought of everything!"

"I would simply have preferred that you thought better of your idea in the first place," Dis told them, taking Jade by the hand. "Come now, my dear. It would appear that we need to stop and let you clean up before we go. Best get this over with before dinner time, and hope their sour disposition does not ruin the meal for you."

"Good luck," Fili called, looking rather sympathetic as his mother led her out of the training area.

"Poor lass," Kili said with a sigh. "Good thing this courtship is all a ruse, or I would worry it would be over by nightfall."

"Oh, I think Jade will fair pretty well against those wargs," Fili chuckled, knowing that there was more to the dam than met the eye. After all, she had just thoroughly impressed him with her ability to handle a dagger, not to mention her quick uptake with the sword. "She's got more backbone than one would imagine."

"She would have to, if she's had to put up with _you_ for most of the day," Kili laughed, ducking his brother's playful swat. Yet it was then that he saw several of Fili's daggers sticking out of the practice dummy not far away. "Yikes…I hope that wasn't me you were imagining when you planted those!"

"No…and it wasn't me who placed them there either," Fili told his brother, stepping over to retrieve his blades. "It was Jade!"

"She did _that_?" Kili flinched and looked away as his brother pulled the one weapon from the dummy's crotch area. "Remind me not to get on _her_ bad side!"

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Jade gave a sigh of relief as she and Dis left the tearoom where she had been thoroughly interrogated by the handful of older dams. With there being such a shortage of the female kind among the dwarves, the few there were had formed a rather tight knit klatch, and one even Dis was hesitant to cross. Yet, once you had their good graces, you were pretty much guaranteed not to be bothered again. And thankfully, it appeared that Jade had done just that, having said all the right things during the tea party.

"I am very impressed with how you handled yourself in there, Jade," Dis smiled, patting the younger dam on the shoulder. "You did very well."

"Only because you were at my side," Jade assured her. "Otherwise, I swear I would have ran out of the room screaming."

"And I wouldn't have blamed you either," Dis laughed. "They can be rather ruthless at times. But fear not, they liked you…which might not be a good thing in the long run."

"What? Why?" Jade had thought that was the idea…to get them to accept her as Fili's intended.

"Because now they will want to visit with you more often," Dis told her, rolling her eyes and making Jade chuckle.

"Well, they will lose interest in me soon enough," Jade stated. "When I turn down Fili's final courting gift, and return to being just a simple dwarrowdam with no status, they won't care if I live or die."

"But _I_ will," Dis assured her, placing her arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close. "I liked you long before this all took place, and I will continue to like you after it's over. I just hope that you and my sons can remain friends…I would hate to see things become awkward for you."

"I don't blame Fili…or Kili…in the least for this," Jade told her with an understanding smile. "And I'm very much enjoying spending time with your son, Lady Dis. He is both entertaining, and quite polite."

"Well, good," she nodded. "I'm glad to know that some of my training paid off. I often worried that they would take after their uncle too much, but it would appear they also inherited their father's light-hearted ways, much to my relief."

"What was he like…your husband I mean?" Jade asked, eager to know. "You said once that Fili favors him greatly."

"That he does, my proud little lion," Dis smiled fondly. "Flinn, their father, had a fine mane of golden hair and beard to match, though he had soft brown eyes like Kili's, where Fili inherited the Durin blue. Yet it was his playful nature that drew me to him, and that's what both my lad's inherited from their father. We all suffered hard times while in exile, until Thorin built up the kingdom in Ered Luin, but both Fili and Kili kept our spirits alive with all their pranks and silliness. I don't know what we would have done without those two, and I thank Mahal every day for the gift of my sons."

"I can tell that they love you a great deal as well, Lady Dis," Jade remarked. "They would do just about anything to please you."

"Thank you for saying so," Dis replied. "I've always felt they are fine lads, but it's nice to hear so from others. Sometimes I think I might be a bit biased." This got both women laughing, and that is how they entered the dining hall.

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 **Oh, Dis, I think you know you have two very special lads there!**

 **And look, Jade CAN defend herself...but she has a taste for swords and axes now...her dwarfy side is showing.**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Yes, Fili was a dumb Durin in LSoD, but here he has not figured out what his feelings are yet. He hasn't known her very long, and they don't share a son, so yeah...he's clueless. And Fili will always get a happen ending and live in my stories. So rest assured, you will not be left in tears...unless tears of joy. ha ha.


	10. Chapter 10

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I am currently out of town and having issues with responding to reviews. I am getting them on my phone and enjoying them though! I will answer them All when I get home.

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 **Chapter 10**

 **~X~**

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Several more days passed, with Fili continuing to act as the doting dwarrow, attending to Jade's every need. One night, as they sat down to dinner, it quickly became obvious that Fili must have mentioned her wish to learn the art of wielding an axe to Dwalin. The gruff warrior proceeded to ask her many questions during the meal, assessing her abilities and seriousness over the request. Jade had given Fili a glare when Dwalin had begun his inquisition, letting him know she was _not_ very pleased with him over this. Still, Fili just smiled, filling her wine glass once more as he ignored her ire.

"You might as well make the most of your time as my consort and get as much out of it as you can," he told her, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "And Dwalin _is_ the best when it comes to axes…so why not take advantage of it?"

Jade found she couldn't argue with his logic, but the large warrior _was_ rather intimidating, in size as well as gruffness. Not to mention the fact that she often caught him examining her as if she might be a potential threat. Still, if she wanted to learn to use an axe…might as well do it right.

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So it was that the following day, she and Fili shared breakfast together in public, and then he took her to the practice ring again, wishing to get in another training session with the sword. Yet, not long into their sparing, Dwalin joined them, sitting on the sidelines watching as Fili trained her with a blade. After a while, the bald dwarf stepped into the ring, hefting his twin axes, one in each hand.

"Care to show me what you can do with one of these, lass?" he growled, causing Jade to flinch slightly. She knew he was not angry, per-say, but no matter what mood the captain of the guard was in, it seemed to come out that way.

"I…I don't know anything about fighting with an axe, Lord Dwalin," she confessed, her eyes going to Fili as if asking for help.

"Just Dwalin," he huffed, removing his fur lined vest and tossing one of his axes at Jade rather unexpectedly. Thankfully, she managed to drop the sword she was holding and caught the weapon with both hands. "I don't cotton to all this lord nonsense. Just titles Thorin saddled us all with after we retook the mountain." He then turned his neck one way and then the next, accompanied by a loud cracking noise that made Jade flinch. Then he stared at her, sizing her up like a potential enemy. "With how you're holding that axe, I could kill you six different ways without even breaking a sweat."

"I…I would greatly prefer that you didn't!" Jade protested, looking even more nervous now.

"As would I, Dwalin!" Fili spoke up.

"Then she best grip it like this," he grumbled, stepping forward and maneuvering her hands so that she was at least holding the weapon correctly.

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The next hour was spent with Jade attempting to stay alive, and with Fili more than once stepping in and protesting against the bald warrior's technique – their arguments almost coming to blows between the two dwarrow. Yet, in the end, an exhausted Jade felt she had done quite well, even earning a nod of approval from Dwalin.

"You have potential, lass," he told her almost begrudgingly. "You might make a fair princess yet… _if_ you keep up your training, that is."

"Unless you take off her head, like you almost did _several_ times!" Fili countered, feeling rather protective over his pretend consort.

"It does no good to go easy on a student," Dwalin stated. "They either learn…or they don't."

"Just mind that you don't kill her in the process!" he warned, taking the axe from Jade's hands and giving it back to Dwalin. "I would like to keep her in _one_ piece."

"I'm sure you would," the muscular warrior chuckled, causing Jade to blush slightly at his innuendo. "Now, go get yourself cleaned up, lass. Can't have you walking around the mountain covered in sweat and dirt. Dis would have my head."

"Oh, sure, _Amad_ you worry about. But when I tell you to go easy, you ignore me completely!" Fili fussed, glaring at Dwalin.

"I know I can whoop you, lad," the warrior informed him. "Your mother…well, that's another story." And with a wink to Jade, Dwalin headed out, hefting both axes over one shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that, Jade, truly," Fili told her once they were alone. "I had no idea Dwalin was going to go so hard on you. If you don't want to train with him anymore, you don't have to."

"No, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would," she protested, feeling like her arms and legs were going to fall off her body, yet quite proud of what she had accomplished. "Between you and Dwalin, I should be ready to join your uncle's army in no time."

"You…you would _want_ to be a warrior?" he balked, not liking the idea in the least. While it was not unheard of for dams to take up arms and fight when necessary, most dwarrow preferred to keep the females of their race protected, since there were so few of them.

"No, of course not," Jade laughed. "Still, like you said, everyone should have the basic knowledge on how to defend themselves. And with your help, I'll soon be pretty decent with three weapons!"

"Oh, speaking of weapons," Fili said, suddenly recalling that he had brought her a present. "I have something for you."

"For me? Why?" Jade was a bit concerned, for she hadn't gotten him anything. _Was she supposed to?_

"A courtship gift," he explained, reaching into a satchel sitting on the bench. "I know the first one is usually supposed to be something aimed to _please_ you, but I thought maybe you might use these for protection, so they _could_ symbolize me providing for you…at least for your safety, that is." Here he held out a matching pair of pearl handled daggers, both intricately etched with dwarven runes.

"Oh, Fili…they're beautiful!" Jade marveled, examining them with great delight. "Where did you find such fabulous workmanship?"

"I made them," he informed her, unable to hide the pride in his tone. "After all, a courting gift can't just be something one picks up at the market. It has to be hand crafted."

"I can't believe you would part with these for a pretend courtship," Jade gasped. "These are far too precious for you to just give away, Fili."

 _"Just give away?_ Hardly!" he scoffed. "I _want_ you to have them. I would be honored if you would accept them. Truly." He stepped closer and let his fingers slide down her cheek ever so gently. "Besides, you _have_ to accept them, otherwise the courtship would be automatically called off."

"Well…we can't have that," she grinned, loving the look and feel of the blades in her hands. "I accept them…gladly! Thank you, they're wonderful."

"I'm happy you think so," he said, his smile returning. "I'll have to show you how to hide them in your clothes, so no one knows you're carrying a weapon."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," she giggled, her eyes roaming over him in a curious fashion. "How many blades _do you_ have on you right now? And where do you keep them all?"

"That is for me to know…and you to find out, if you have the mind to," he told her with a sly smile, holding out his arms in an offering gesture. "Go ahead, I don't mind."

Jade could feel her face turn warm as she blushed at his words. Fili was a flirt, no doubt about it, but she couldn't tell if he was serious half the time or not. Still, she couldn't help but feel a zing run through her at the idea of searching him in such an intimate manner.

"Um…I think I'll just stick with the ones you gave me, and let _that_ remain a mystery," Jade replied, looking anywhere but into Fili's teasing eyes.

"Very well," he laughed, knowing when to give in. "Let's just say I normally carry no less than ten. More if I'm going into battle."

"Why?" she questioned. "I would think you were quite safe _inside_ the mountain."

"It's more from a habit I picked up when we used to hire out to protect caravans and such," Fili explained as they headed out of the training ring. "You just never know when one more weapon might mean the difference between life and death."

"You and your brother didn't exactly grow up with silver spoons in your mouths, did you?" Jade remarked, knowing this from the stories Dis had told her.

"Hardly," Fili chuckled. "There were times when we all went to bed with next to nothing in our stomachs. But we got by, and my uncle and mother made sure we never starved. When we became old enough to handle weapons, Thorin and Dwalin taught us how to hunt, then things became a bit easier. Kili took to the bow, while I preferred a sword, but both of us know how to set snares and track game. We _had_ to know, or the stewpot went empty."

"Occasionally it was a lean winter at our village too, but we pulled through as well," she nodded. "Not sure if it is quite a queenly quality, but I do know how to make a meal stretch when necessary."

"That is never a bad thing to know," Fili told her seriously. "And I think it's important that a king…or a prince, knows what it means to want. I believe it helps in understanding the needs of the people, to be more empathetic to their plight."

"That is a fine way of seeing things," she complimented. "You will make an excellent king one day, just like your uncle."

"And you will make a fine queen," he insisted.

"A fine _pretend_ queen," Jade reminded him.

"Yes…of course," Fili mumbled, wondering if that was what he still wanted.

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"Where's your brother?" Bofur asked as he sat his plate down next to Kili at lunch. "Oh, wait…with his lovely lass, I presume."

"Where else?" Kili huffed, feeling as if he hadn't seen his brother in days. Which for them was out of the ordinary, the two siblings usually inseparable.

"I know how you feel," Bofur told the young prince sympathetically. "When Bombur started courting Ilin, I felt a bit left out as well. But then they had little ones, and I got to be an uncle! Couldn't say I had much room to complain after that."

"An uncle, huh?" This idea appealed to Kili quite a bit, the thought of him helping his brother raise and train a lad of his own perking him right up. Yet, then his shoulders slumped, recalling that this was all a farce. Fili wasn't really in love, nor was he going to marry Jade and start a family. "Yah, well…still doesn't stop me from missing him."

"No, but maybe you should use this time to start looking for a lass of your own," the hatted miner suggested.

"Oh, and who would you suggest I take up with?" Kili laughed. He dared not mention the one he would prefer to spend time with - the lovely Tauriel instantly springing to his mind. "Not exactly an abundance of dams, in case you haven't noticed."

"Aye, but I heard that a few came from Ered Luin with your mother's caravan," he said, giving the unhappy prince a jab with his elbow. "Not to mention one or two from the Iron Hills. You're a fine looking dwarrow, and I'm sure your uncle would be doubly pleased if one of them caught your eye as well."

"Maybe…but I'm not sure I'm ready to find a mate just yet," he shrugged. "I think I would rather remain single, at least for a while longer."

"You're still young, you have plenty of time to find a lass," Bofur assured him. "But don't go blaming me if I snag the prettiest one for myself while you're busy _not_ looking."

"Be my guest," Kili laughed. "In fact, I encourage you to do so."

"Well, thank you for your blessing, lad," the miner grinned. "And don't mind if I do."

"Don't mind if you do what?" Fili asked, having entered the dining hall alone, and taking a seat next to his brother.

"Find me a nice lass just like you did, Fili," Bofur informed him. "Kili here just gave me leave to do so."

"Quite generous of you, little brother," the crown prince said, helping himself to a plateful of food. "But why does he need _your_ permission?"

"He doesn't, so just never mind," Kili sighed, waving off his brother. "Where's Jade? I thought you two were now joined at the hip."

"She had to go clean up," he grumbled. "Dwalin just about worked her into the ground today during weapons training. She said she wanted a bath and maybe take a nap before dinner."

"Dwalin's training her already?" Bofur asked, looking a bit shocked by this. "Things are really getting serious then?"

"I…I'm not sure," Fili shrugged. "Besides, you know it's the dams that have the final say in a courtship."

"Well, don't sell yourself short, lad," Bofur said encouragingly. "The lass appeared pretty bright to me. I think she'd recognize a good catch when she sees one."

 _I hope so,_ Fili thought to himself. _I really hope so._

 _._

 _._

Jade had indeed felt much better after a warm bath and a change of clothes, yet her muscles protested even the simple effort of lifting a spoon to her lips at dinner that evening. She began to wonder if training with Dwalin might one day save her life…or end it quicker. Still, Fili had appeared proud of her, and the beautiful pair of daggers she had hidden in her skirts made her smile. Jade knew that he was obligated to present her with gifts to signify their courtship, but she couldn't help but be touched by his thoughtfulness. The fact that they were handcrafted by him only made them more special.

"Are you finished?" Fili's voice broke into her thoughts, everyone having long since completed dinner and most were now just sitting around talking.

"Oh, yes, I am," she nodded, giving Fili a shy smile. "Dinner was delicious. I feel I should offer my compliments to the cook."

"My brother Bombur would greatly appreciate the sentiments, Lady Jade," Bofur spoke up, lifting his mug of ale in her direction. "Though he learned most of his cooking skills on our trip out here to Erebor. Before that, he was working in the toy shop with Bifur and me, but it would appear he found his true calling."

"Toys you say?" Jade was instantly intrigued. "What kind of toys?"

"All kinds," Bofur responded with a wide smile, turning towards Bifur who was sitting next to him. "My cousin here is the best toy maker in all of Erebor…while I just dabble a bit, along with working in the mines."

Bifur made a few quick hand movements, apparently wishing to get in on the conversation.

"He says if you would like to come by the shop, he would be happy to show you around," Bofur translated.

"That's very kind of him," Jade nodded. "But what was that he just did there…with his hands? I've never seen that before."

"It's called Iglishmêk," Fili spoke up, answering her question with a smile. "It's a secret language, only known and used by dwarves. It's something you should learn for yourself, as well as Khuzdul."

"Your mother has been teaching me your language," Jade informed him brightly.

" _Our_ language, Jade," Fili corrected. "It's _your_ native tongue as well."

Jade blushed slightly and looked down, nodding her head in agreement. It still felt strange to be part of a culture that she knew so little about, yet was greatly pleased to be accepted into.

"If you need any assistance in learning either one, I would be willing to assist you, Lady Jade," Ori spoke up, his endearing smile quite infectious.

"Thank you for your offer, Ori," Fili cut in. "Yet, I will see that my consort is schooled in whatever it is she needs to know. It is my duty, and my pleasure."

Several around the table nodded or voiced their agreement on the subject, causing Jade to blush even more. She was starting to seriously worry that if this continued much longer, she would begin to form true feelings for this kind dwarrow…and as nice as that sounded, it would be a disaster! For she wasn't sure her heart could take it.

"Would you care to take a stroll with me before retiring, My Lady?" Fili asked, standing up as he extended his hand to her, assisting her to rise. "There is a full moon tonight and until you've seen it shining over Lake Town, you haven't seen anything."

"Take your brother with you," came Thorin's brusque command from where he sat at the head of the table.

"Why?" came the dark-haired prince's protest. "I've already seen the moon rise…plenty of times!"

"You will go as their chaperone, Kili, and no arguments," Thorin insisted, raising an eyebrow at his nephew, daring him to defy his order.

"Come along, brother," Fili laughed, throwing his arm around Kili's shoulders as he rose to his feet begrudgingly. "I will make sure you find your bed at a decent hour." He then reached over and refilled Kili's tankard, handing it to him with a smile. "And this will keep you entertained until then."

This at least caused Kili's frown to lessen, though not entirely. But he followed Fili and Jade out of the dining hall nonetheless, already drinking deeply. Apparently he felt he would be needing it.

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"I feel badly that your brother must accompany us wherever we go, Fili," Jade whispered once they were out in the hall. "It's not as if anything is going to happen."

"Well, we can't have anyone questioning that fact, can we?" he informed her, looking slightly disappointed by her statement. "And you never know. I was the one who dared to enter _your_ chambers uninvited…no telling what scandalous actions I might perform next."

"Oh, yes, you are very disreputable, Your Highness," Jade laughed.

"You don't know the half of it," he told her with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Soon they had rounded a few corners and exited out onto the battlement, the full moon indeed shimmering over the lake in the distance, making it look like a mirror image trapped in the water. It illuminated the hills and valleys in between, casting a lovely glow over the lands.

"Never gets old," Fili told her, folding his arms and leaning them on the wall as he stared out over the terrain. "I've seen a lot of things in Middle Earth, but this is by far my favorite. _This_ is home."

"Tell me of some of the other things you've seen," Jade encouraged, leaning forward on the wall just like he was. "What would you say were your top five favorites?"

"Hmmm, let's see," he mused, bringing his fingers up to stroke at his beard and mustache thoughtfully. "I think I've already mentioned I was impressed with Rivendell, and then the Shire…though we couldn't stay long enough to truly enjoy it like I wanted. I also got to ride on the back of a giant eagle, and when I wasn't panicked over the health of my uncle, or the fact that I was up so high, I truly did enjoy the view from up there."

"You rode on the back of an eagle?" Jade was shocked by this news, never having imagined such a thing was possible. "Weren't you scared?"

"Out of my wits!" Fili laughed. "Still, it was a once in a lifetime experience."

"I bet," Jade agreed, wondering what the world looked like from such a distance above.

"I would have to say that my last two favorites sights were my first glimpse of Erebor…and the face of my brother leaning over me when I woke up after the battle of Five Armies," Fili's expression softened to one of love mixed with relief. "I wasn't sure we were going to make it through that one, and waking to find that Kili, and my uncle, had both survived…well, that was a true blessing from Mahal."

"How _did_ you all survive?" Jade asked. "Lady Dis would never talk about it once your message arrived at Ered Luin. She simply stated that all the sons of Durin lived and left it at that."

"Mostly by luck, and with the help of many we formerly considered our enemies," Fili explained. "Sure, Dain had come from the Iron Hills when we called for aid, but his army alone would not have been enough to turn the orcs that marched on the mountain. Yet, when Bard and Thranduil joined their swords with ours, we actually stood a fighting chance. It was nip and tuck though, the orcs outnumbering us considerably, but never underestimate the fierceness of a dwarf when they are protecting their home." Here he looked down at Jade, knowing that until just recently, a home was something she had not been afforded…at least not a proper dwarf home. "My uncle led us to the top of Ravenhill, where Azog had taken up position in order to direct the battle. We found him and his hoard of orcs, or perhaps more accurately, _they found us_. Kili and I were sent out to scout the ruins, and after splitting up, I was set upon by Azog himself, and if it hadn't been for a well-placed arrow to his shoulder, I would have been run through and tossed off a cliff to my death."

"NO!" Jade gasped, her eyes growing wide in fear. "You almost died?"

"Oh, several times that day in fact," he nodded, his brow furrowed with the painful memory. "We were almost overrun, but Bilbo had seen us go up, and alerted the elves to our position."

"Bilbo?" Jade questioned, only having heard the name mentioned a few times since arriving, yet every time it was done with reverence and much love.

"Our Hobbit friend, and burglar," Fili explained with a wide grin. "He and Gandalf, our wizard and guide, both left for the Shire not long before you arrived. I wish he had stayed so you could have met him, he is quite an extraordinary fellow."

"I can only imagine," Jade nodded, hoping that one day she would get the opportunity to meet a hobbit.

"Anyway, Bilbo brought help in the form of Thranduil's son, Legolas, and the captain of their guard, Tauriel. With their aid we turned the tide and had Azog and his orcs on the run. Thorin had taken on the leader himself, but they were fighting on a slippery frozen river, and even for a dwarf it was hard to keep his footing. Kili and I had just finished off about a dozen orcs ourselves, and I turned in time to see my uncle take a rather wicked slice to his side, sending him to his knees. I raced to his aid as quickly as I could, blocking a strike that was meant to end his life, but while I was trying to avoid a slash from Azog's sword, he ended up using that metal saber-like thing sticking out of his stub of an arm after all, yet this time to bash me in the head. Needless to say, it split open my skin and I was knocked senseless, barely able to remain conscious. But thankfully, Kili arrived just then and was able to distract Azog long enough for Thorin to rise and drive his own blade through the vile creature's guts…ending him for good. I blacked out quickly after that."

"And that's when you woke to see your brother leaning over you?" Jade reasoned.

"Yep, in the healer's tent," Fili nodded. "Thorin was lying in a bed next to mine, but at least he was awake. And Kili…well, he made it through with only a few scrapes." He grinned and shook his head with a chuckle. "And my mother says that _he's_ the reckless one. I guess what they say is true, that Mahal favors the brave and the foolish." Fili then turned and looked over at Kili, who stood at a distance, leaning against the wall with his ale mug tipped up to his lips, patting the bottom as if trying to get the last drop. "And that sure describes my little brother."

"I like how you look when you speak of him…about any of your family, really," Jade told him with a wistful smile. "There's no mistaking the love you all have for each other."

"Durins stick together," Fili stated firmly, no wavering in his voice. "There are so few of us left…at least in the direct line of decent."

"Is that why no one in the mountain seems to be concerned about you courting a maid with no family ties or highborn bloodline?" Jade questioned. "They're just happy that you might soon marry and produce more heirs of Durin?"

"Maybe, but I don't really care what they think," Fili said with a shrug. "And Uncle once promised that he would never force Kili or I to wed only to secure power or wealth."

"Are political matches very common among your…er, I mean, _our_ race?" Jade knew this was often something done between the sons and daughters of men, but she wasn't sure what the dwarves might think about such a thing.

"A few, but from what I recall, not a whole lot seemed to work out very well. Either they never truly got along, or they had a great deal of difficulty producing children. For a dwarf, love in a union is very important." Fili explained. "That's why there is the courtship period…to find out if such feelings truly exist. My grandfather Thrór's marriage was a political match, and I heard rumors that Thorin was once paired up with a lass that he had never even met. But that was before the dragon came, and I think Smaug's attack ended any match-making for a good long while."

"Oh," she nodded, quite at a loss for what to say to that, having never had to think about such things as dragons and how her true people had been scattered to the wind. Maybe that was how her dwarf parents had met their end, traveling to find a new home after being displaced by Smaug. Her thoughts were cut off by a voice near the stairs.

"Are you two done gawking at the moon yet?" came Kili's plaintive tone, having finished off his mug of ale and was now thoroughly bored.

"Yes, Kili," Fili answered back, rolling his eyes in a way that had Jade snickering. "We're coming." And reaching out, he took her hand and led them back to where Kili waited. "After you, Little Brother," he said, gesturing with his hand for him to lead the way.

"Oh, no, not a chance!" Kili huffed, stepping aside as he signaled that they head out first. "I can't keep an eye on your two if I'm in front, now can I?"

"Taking your job seriously, I see," the blond prince laughed, escorting Jade down the stairs. "Not sure if I am impressed…or irritated by that, Naddith."

.

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The next night, after another lovely evening with Jade, surrounded by family and friends, Fili and Kili headed off to bed. When they arrived at Kili's room, instead of parting ways like they usually did, Fili lingered, asking if he might come in and talk a bit. Always eager to spend time with his brother, the younger prince welcomed him in.

"Just ignore the mess," he said, stepping over a pair of boots and a discarded tunic.

"Now I'm extra glad that Jade chose _my_ room to sleepwalk into," Fili chuckled, being quite familiar with his brother's habits in cleanliness. "Otherwise she might have tripped over all this stuff and broke her leg."

"Ha ha, very funny," Kili replied sarcastically, gesturing to the sofa while he picked up a few mugs lying around, inspecting to see if they were clean before pouring them both some ale. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I…I need your opinion on something," Fili began, picking off a few articles of clothing from the sofa and sitting down, before accepting the ale Kili offered him. "I want to know what you think of Jade. I mean _really_ think of her."

"She's nice, and pretty brave to be willing to go through with all this. But you two are just doing this to get out of hot water with Thorin," he shrugged. "Before it goes too far, you're just going to call the whole thing off. So, why does it matter?"

"But, what if I don't _want_ to end things with Jade?" Fili stated. "What if…well…I _really_ like her."

"WHAT?" Kili choked a bit on his ale, having to get Fili to pound on his back a few times before he could breathe again. "You mean…you _really like_ her as in you might want to actually _marry_ her some day?"

"I don't know," the older brother shrugged, looking both helpless and unsure. "I've never given it a lot of thought, so I'm not sure _what_ I want. But I can tell you that I've never enjoyed spending time with a dam as much as I do Jade."

"And what does _that_ feel like?" Kili asked, his interest piqued.

"Well…I'm finding that I want to be with her…at lot," Fili began, his eyes drifting away and focusing on nothing in particular. "And when she smiles at me, my heart speeds up. Not to mention, every time I take her hand or touch her, I become all weak in the knees."

"Sounds horrible," Kili said with a scrunched-up nose. Yet, secretly he filed away this information for later reflection, realizing that he too had felt this way before…for Tauriel.

"No…it's wonderful," Fili countered, giving a sigh. "And every morning I wake up wanting to feel that way again."

"Maybe you should go see Oin," Kili suggested. "You sound sick."

"You're no help," Fili huffed, leaning his head back against the sofa and staring up at the ceiling. "So, what _do_ you think of Jade…on a _personal_ level?"

"Well…she's pretty," Kili had to admit. "And she is easy to talk to, for a dam. But do you really think you're anywhere ready to settle down and get married? And think about the responsibilities you would be taking on if you chose to do so. A wife…and maybe down the road, _children?_ You and I have barely reached our majority, are you ready to give up all the fun we've had and become a husband?"

"That's just it, Kili…I don't know," Fili moaned. "Yet, to me, being with Jade is just as much fun, if not more so, than anything I've ever done before."

"Well, I'm no expert…in fact I'm probably the farthest thing from an expert you could find," Kili said, his voice full of concern. "But if you want my opinion…I would say you actually _might_ have feelings for her." He crossed his arms over his chest in a sullen motion. "But don't expect me to be overly happy about it. Since I don't like the idea of losing you to some dam."

"Losing me?" Fili questioned, leaning forward and staring at Kili in confusion. "How would you be losing me?"

"Well, just look at how much time you're spending with her already!" he huffed. "This is the first time I've had your full attention in days."

"I'm sorry, Kili." And Fili truly meant it. "I didn't realize I was ignoring you."

"Well, you're not exactly _ignoring_ me," he confessed, looking somewhat regretful over his wording. "But it's always just been you and me…and now with Jade…well, it's different, that's all."

"Well, fear not, Naddith," Fili assured him, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. "No dam will ever replace you. You just might have to learn to share me a little is all."

 _"Share you?"_ Kili snorted. "That's assuming any dam would _want_ you in the first place."

"Hey! Now you're just being mean!" Fili grumbled, though even he couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"What are brother's for?" Kili responded, enjoying the banter they always shared.

"But…what do you think I should do?" Fili pressed, worry now evident in his voice. "I mean, I've never courted a dam before. What if I screw up and ruin things before I can figure out what it is I'm feeling?"

"Well, you've already snuck into her private room, put her reputation in jeopardy, and forced her into pretending to be your consort," Kili mused, tapping his finger against his chin thoughtfully. "I'd say if you haven't screwed things up with her after all _that_ , it's highly unlikely you will."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Fili told him, his brows pursing together in concern.

"If nothing else, it tells me that Jade has very low standards," Kili joked.

"Oh you!" Fili squawked, grabbing a pillow off the sofa and throwing at his brother's head. This led to a wrestling match, the two ending up on the floor amid the dirty laundry strewn everywhere, laughing as they rolled around.

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 **Ahhhh, brotherly love, ain't it grand?**

 **And look...the first courting gift. But I have to say, Jade had a lot of restraint...I would have searched him. ha ha.**

 **Got a bit of backstory in there for our Durin boys and how they survived the battle. Hope you liked it.**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

Guests...I will respond to your wonderful comments as well in the chapter i lost when I get home. Keep them coming!


	11. Chapter 11

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 **Still working on catching up on some of the reviews while on vacation, just depends on what kind of internet service I have each day. Keep them coming though!**

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 **Chapter 11**

 **~X~**

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Thorin sat in his study, looking over the guest list for the next month. It would appear that everyone was planning a visit to the mountain - all eager to renew ties with the kingdom of Erebor. Thengel, the king of Rohan, was already on his way – having asked to have an audience with Thorin sooner than later. Even Thranduil had sent a message saying he would be visiting, as well as Lord Baldar of the Grey Mountains, much to his surprise. Thorin found himself a bit concerned over the last one, for things with the Dwarf Lord, Baldar, had been a bit strained over the past decades.

"Do you think he still holds a grudge?" Balin asked, recalling the last message they had received from that dwarf clan.

"I would hope not," Thorin sighed. "Yet, you know that our kind often finds it difficult to forgive…or forget."

"Well, it was hardly _your_ fault the dragon attacked," the white bearded dwarf pointed out. "And it was _Baldar_ who sent the message before that, calling off the courtship, not you."

"Yet, with Smaug's attack, we never found out what the reason was behind their breaking the contract," Thorin huffed. " _Not_ that I was upset about it in the least, for the last thing I wanted was to be forced into a political marriage. And I swore that my heirs would never be subjected to such a thing as well. If Fili and Kili wish to wed, it will be because _they_ desire to do so…not to form some alliance."

"Yet, at the time, your grandfather Thrór felt it was important for the stability and prosperity of Erebor that you and the princess of the Grey Mountains enter into a courtship," Balin reminded him. "The fact that they are the largest producers of coal in the area makes them a fine ally. And they still could be, if you can find out why the contract was broken in the first place, and if any hard feelings still remain."

"I know it would be advantageous, but I will not grovel or beg, nor will I consent to any marriage contract to secure the rights for trade," Thorin stated firmly.

"I believe that you have enough assets in the vaults already to be appealing to Lord Baldar and his people," Balin assured him. "No need to worry about him insisting on a marriage alliance. Or at least I hope not."

"Well, I fear that any idea of pairing me up with his daughter this late in our lives would be pointless," Thorin insisted. "And since I never even laid eyes on the lass, it was probably best that they called off the match. Besides, what kind of life could I have offered her once we were set to wandering in exile? The princess probably felt she had managed to slip out just in time."

"Aye, it would have been rather unfortunate had the marriage already been settled upon," the older councilor agreed. "Now, you simply need to smooth things over and see about strengthening ties from here on out. We could still use a trade agreement for their coal. Erebor's forges need to be fueled, and they do have the closest supply."

"I will do my best," Thorin agreed. "But if not, there are other options…unfortunately none as advantageous as the Grey Mountains."

"To be sure, laddie," Balin nodded.

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Fili and Jade continued to spend time together, with all the mountain keeping a close watch on the couple, smiling in their direction whenever they were seen around Erebor. It pleased the dwarrow that their prince had found a potential mate…or at least a consort, with the hopes of her accepting him.

The only one who didn't seem very pleased was Kili, for even after having talked with Fili, he still felt a bit left out. He admittedly had nothing against the lass, but it made him jealous when he saw the two in each other's company, laughing and smiling, while he wished he could have his brother all to himself.

Maybe Bofur was right…maybe it was time he sought out a mate for himself. _But where?_ There were scant few dams that had migrated to the mountain, and most of them he had known since childhood, flirted with, and even kissed a few…but never had he felt anything similar to what Fili had claimed he was experiencing with Jade. No, the only one he had ever felt even remotely interested in was a red-haired elf lass from Mirkwood who had saved his life and then tossed him in a dungeon. Now if that wasn't the oddest way to meet someone, Kili didn't know what was. Still, regardless of their start, he couldn't get the guard-captain out of his mind.

However, he also knew that Thorin would never allow such a pairing, and in truth he didn't even know if she thought of him the same way. He had not seen her since she returned with Thranduil and Legolas to the woodland realm, nor had she made any attempt to contact him since. Did this mean he was destined to be craft-wed? Unable to forget the elf lass but not having his head turned by any other dwarrowdam? And if so…what was his craft? Battle? War? Being a prince? It left him feeling not only lonely…but useless as well.

And the following day, when he was especially down on his situation, Kili came across a sight that proved to be the last straw. There, at the doorway to Thorin's council chambers was Fili and Jade, his brother having the young maid backed against the wall, while he stood in front of her, one palm resting on the stone next to her head, while the other held her hand in his. The two appeared deep in conversation, looking more happy and pleased than he felt they should be. This had all began as a farce, a way of regaining their reputation, but if Fili was to be believed, it was starting to become more than that. At least for his brother. Yet when Fili reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, causing Jade to blush, Kili had seen enough. Spinning on his heel, he marched away, grumbling as he went.

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Jade was just saying farewell to Fili as he headed into the King's council chambers, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Kili, who stopped and stared at them with a sour look on his face. She chose not to say anything to Fili, yet when he proceeded inside to meet with his uncle, Jade hurried down the hallway, hoping to have a private talk with the younger prince. She knew the brothers were very close, and the way Fili talked about his naddith non-stop, only proved it more.

"Prince Kili?" she called, looking down one corridor and then another one. _Which way had he gone?_ Jade stood still and listened, at last hearing his faint footsteps to her right and choosing that direction. She was not exactly sure where she was headed, the mountain still being so very vast and all, but she was determined to speak with Kili.

As she continued to follow the sound, Jade was led down several more corridors and over bridges, passing several other dwarrow on her way, yet the farther down she went, the less she encountered. Perhaps it would be best to end her pursuit and attempt to speak to Kili another time. But Jade was not the type to give up easily, so she followed.

At last, when she was thoroughly lost and highly unlikely to ever be able to find her way back alone, she spotted Kili inside a large chamber, standing at the end of a long walkway, staring at a small alcove at the far side. Looking around, Jade could see no one else anywhere, the area completely deserted. She had never been in this part of the mountain before, and had no idea exactly what it was used for.

"Prince Kili?" she called, at last seeming to get his attention. He turned and stared at her, a look of concern on his face.

"What are you doing down here?" he demanded, sounding more upset than she had expected him to be for following him. "Don't you know this area is off limits? It's dangerous and unstable."

"Then what are _you_ doing down here?" she asked, her eyes now darting around as if looking for the danger he had spoken of.

"I wanted to see something," he explained, turning back around and gazing inside the alcove. "I had heard it was here…but had never taken the time to come see it myself."

"But if it isn't safe…why would you want to do so now?" Jade inquired, walking forward, doing her best to remain in the center of the walkway, seeing the long and dangerous drop on either side. _Erebor really needed more hand rails._

"They'll be doing demolition on this area soon, and while they do plan on removing all the stone carvings before that, I worried it might get damaged in the move. I wanted to see it for myself, just in case," Kili told her, still staring straight ahead.

"What is it of?" Now Jade was doubly curious.

"It's a relief carved of the last two princes and one princess of Erebor, before the dragon came," he said, gesturing to the half-hidden sculpture within the alcove. "Of my Uncle Thorin, Uncle Frerin, and Amad. They were barely more than children at the time, but I wanted to see it for myself."

Jade was now standing only a few feet behind Kili, and able to see the carving at last. She had no idea if it was a good likeness or not, though she could identify some of Thorin and Dis' traits in the younger versions of themselves. And while she had never seen a drawing of Frerin, she could guess that he looked much as he had as well.

"Whoever crafted it did a fine job," she complimented. "They were a true stone mason."

"Amad told me that she always remembered this carving and thought I reminded her of Thorin, and that Fili looked a lot like Frerin," he said with an almost wistful expression.

"I would have to agree with her," Jade nodded. "Your brother does resemble your uncle Frerin…and you do favor King Thorin."

"My amad always said that Thorin and Frerin were inseparable, just like me and Fili," he continued, now turning around to stare at the dam. "That they did _everything_ together, and nothing could come between them…save death."

Jade could hear the hidden meaning in his story, for Kili's voice cracked just a bit when he spoke about how his two uncles used to be thick as thieves…much the same as he and Fili. And suddenly, Jade understood _why_ the young prince wished to see such a thing now - when his own brother seemed to be busy with other things, like her, and not paying as much attention to him.

"Kili…I think we need to talk," she began, wishing to clear the air between them. She had been enjoying her time with Fili very much, but if it was hurting the younger prince, then something had to change.

She was just about to open her mouth and say more, when a loud boom was heard in the distance, followed by a deep rumble that was felt all around them, shaking the bridge and causing rocks and dust to begin falling from the ceiling.

 _"Mahal no!"_ Kili breathed, looking up as he saw a large chuck of stone breaking lose just above them.

Jade apparently saw it as well, and knowing that there was not enough time to run back the way they had come, she chose the only direction left to them…forward! Lunging towards Kili, she shoved him backwards, just as a barrage of stones rained down around them, some small, while others were larger and razor sharp. The huge section of the ceiling that sheered away came crashing upon the walkway, turning the bridge into rubble as it fell into the chasm it had once crossed.

A few more larger stones joined it, forcing Kili and Jade farther and farther into the small alcove, attempting to find shelter from the barrage of dust and rocks. Jade heard Kili cry out in pain, yet with so much debris in their air, it was nearly impossible to see what was going on, leaving her blinking and rubbing her eyes in hopes to clear her vision. She could feel the prince beside her, the two of them now huddled against the farthest wall, attempting to keep out of the way. Yet as more rocks fell, it was soon quite clear that they were trapped, a wall of stones and debris effectively sealing them inside.

"Jade! Are you all right?" Kili asked, coughing over the dust in the air that was now making its way into his lungs. "Speak to me!"

"I…I'm fine," she told him after a quick inspection of all her limbs. "A few scrapes, but I don't think anything serious. You?"

"It feels like I took a shard to the leg," he confessed, the hissing sound he let out telling her it was unfortunately very painful.

"Can you move it?" she questioned, wishing she could see his injury.

"Some," he responded, grunting a bit as he pulled himself into a better position. They remained silent for a few moments, waiting for the dust to settle before they attempted to speak again. In that time, Jade was pleased to see that some of the luminescent rock had been placed in the ceiling of the small alcove, and as their eyes began to adjust, they could make out each other in the darkness.

They were both covered in dust, Kili's hair now looking more grey than dark, and she didn't imagine she faired any better. When Jade could at last see well enough, she began to search for the stone that had pierced his leg, letting her hands do most of the work. When she touched the jagged shard of rock sticking out of his thigh, Kili jerked, making him suck in his breath from pain.

"I'm sorry," she told him, reaching up and pulling off the scarf she wore around her neck. "We need to get that out and wrap it up tightly so you don't bleed to death. Think you can stand it?"

"I'll have to, won't I?" Kili stated, gritting his teeth as he took her hand and guided it slowly to the rock buried in his leg. "On the count of three." He instructed. "One. Two. Three!" And together they yanked it out, causing Kili to cry out very loudly and fall back against the stone floor, his eyes squeezed shut in pain.

As quick as she could, Jade wrapped her scarf around Kili's leg, tying it as tightly as she dared without cutting off his circulation. She hoped the puncture was not too deep, and that it hadn't struck an artery - but without any medical supplies, this was the best she could do. Once it was tied off, she looked at the prince's face, hoping he was still conscious, for she was unsure what she would do if he wasn't. Thankfully, though he appeared to be in a great deal of discomfort, he was alert.

"Thank you," Kili muttered, his eyes still closed and his brow furrowed. "I'm in your debt, Lady Jade, not only for bandaging my leg…but for pushing me out of the way of the rocks as well."

"You would've done the same for me," she assured him. "But you're welcome, nonetheless."

"And now I feel even worse!" he moaned, throwing his arm over his eyes in despair.

"What…why?" Jade was confused.

"Because you're being so nice, and just before all this happened, I was having some rather ungenerous thoughts about you…and for that I'm sorry," he admitted.

"You mean…because you feel as if I'm taking Fili away from you?" Jade wasn't a fool, she had heard every word Kili had said about the carvings he had been looking at. Which gratefully appeared to be undamaged, and still in perfect condition on the wall behind them. "Kili…you know that all of this is only temporary…right? That Fili and I are not _seriously_ courting with a view to marriage. I would never dare to assume this is anything more than the farce your uncle insists upon. And very soon, all of this will be behind us, and you and your brother can go back to how things were."

Kili lifted his arm off his face and stared at the dam in the dim light, seeing that she truly meant what she said. Apparently, in _her_ mind nothing had changed, it was all still a ruse…nothing more. And yet, from what Fili had stated, that may no longer be the case for him. Would it be wise to tell Jade this? Or would doing so scare her away? But if this got him his brother's attention back…would it be worth doing? Kili was torn, unsure if he should do the honorable thing, or the selfish thing. In the end, he knew he could never treat his brother, or the lass, in such a way, and he chose to keep his mouth shut on the subject.

"Well…either way, I'm still grateful to you for saving me like you did," he chose to reply. "Especially after it was all _my_ fault we ended up here in the first place."

"It's not your fault. I could have easily chosen _not_ to follow you," she pointed out, absolving him of any guilt.

"Yet if you had, where would that have left me?" he chuckled. "Buried under a pile of rubble, or laying somewhere in the chasm below, flat as a griddle cake, I can only imagine."

"Then I am glad I _did_ decide to follow you," she said firmly. "I don't think the dams would find a flat prince very appealing."

"Nor would I," he chuckled. "So, thank you, I'm in your debt. Thus, state your price for saving my life."

"I didn't do it for gain!" Jade balked, though she couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice.

"Too bad, I'm pretty influential, being a prince and all," he grinned. "So, what can I grant you? Gold? Silver? My brother's hand in marriage?" Kili watched her closely for any sign that the last offer might be appealing to her.

"I believe you are offering things you don't exactly have the right to," Jade stated, averting her eyes a bit too quickly, telling Kili more than she probably meant to. "And I think your heartfelt gratitude is payment enough." She then turned her eyes to the rock and debris surrounding them. "What happened anyway? Why did the ceiling fall like that? Is this a normal occurrence?"

"No, not at all," Kili assured her, propping himself up on his elbows as he did his best to figure out what had gone wrong. "The area was considered unstable, due to damage brought on by the dragon, but as far as I know they weren't scheduled to do any demolition or repairs until next week."

"Just before the ceiling caved in, I heard a loud booming sound, could that have been the cause?" she asked, not at all familiar with the normal sounds of life inside the mountain just yet.

"I heard it too," Kili nodded. "Could have been an explosion from a nearby mine, and that's what triggered the cave in. I only hope no one was hurt or buried in _that_ explosion…for if so, it might be quite a while before they have a chance to come looking for us."

"No one knows we're down here, do they?" Jade realized, turning to gaze at the pile of stones that blocked any chance of escape.

"I didn't tell anyone I was coming here…did you?" he asked hopefully.

"No. No one," she said with a sad shake of her head.

"Then…I suppose we'll have to wait and hope we're missed before too long," he sighed, laying his head back down on the dusty floor. "And preferably before we run out of air."

Carefully, Jade made it to her feet, heading over to the rock wall and began to feel around, hoping to find a loose boulder or something that might aid in their escape. But there was nothing, not even a wiggle in the stones, proving that they were sealed in with no way out. What she did find however, was a small gust of wind, alerting her to the fact that it wasn't an air-tight seal, assuring them that they would not suffocate at least.

"Well, that's _one_ thing we don't have to worry about," Kili agreed. "But that still leaves four other concerns."

"Four?" Jade questioned.

"Lack of water and food," he began, ticking them off on his fingers. "Never being found…and…well…more _personal_ needs," he finished looking away as if ashamed to make eye contact.

"Oh…right," she nodded, realizing that could become an issue in such close quarters. "Well, let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

"Agreed," he replied.

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 **Oh dear, they are in a pickle for sure! Hope someone figures out they are missing...and don't imagine they ran off together or something! Eeep!**

 **But Poor Kili...he is feeling left out.**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Emrfangirl:** for chapter 9 \- Yes, let the avalanche of love begin! I just hope he doesn't crush her in the process. ha ha. for chapter 10 \- Yes, I do love writing those boys in brotherly action. And no Dwalin is NOT in on the hoax. Only the Durins at the moment...and Balin. I do love Dwalin, he is such a love, really. Hmmm, who will figure it out? Hard to say. I will have Nori take bets on it...that's his job after all, right after Spy Master. ha ha. Mothers know everything, but Kili is being fed first hand information...and yes, Thorin is clueless. ha ha. Thanks for the kind reviews!


	12. Chapter 12

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I had fully intended on posting chapter 11 last Thursday or Friday but the internet was not cooperating.

So you get TWO chapters today!

 **BUT, be sure you are reading them in order. Don't skip a chapter by accident.**

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 **Chapter 12**

 **~X~**

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"What in Mahal's name happened?" Thorin demanded, having run all the way from his council chamber to the south mine, Fili and several others close on his heels.

"Accidental explosion due to a faulty fuse," Bofur informed his king, the hatted miner still directing a string of dwarves out of the cavern entrance, all covered in dust and coughing, but none looked wounded. "No one was injured, but we do have quite a mess to dig out once the air settles. Thank the maker that a bit of rubble is all we have to worry about."

"Yes," Thorin nodded, happy to hear that. "Will you be needing any extra help?"

"No, I think we'll simply call it a day, let things rest for now, and hit it hard come morning," Bofur told him. "No sense in asking anyone to go back down today…best to give them a breather."

"Agreed," Thorin replied. "Just be more careful next time…we don't want anyone injured or killed."

"No, of course not," Bofur said, apparently also relieved that it had been nothing serious. Yet, before he could say more, a guard came racing through the entrance, his face full of concern.

"Your Majesty, there's been a cave in! It occurred in one of the chambers we have yet to stabilize," he reported. "The ceiling collapsed and took out a stone bridge."

"Was anyone there? Any injuries?" Thorin demanded.

"We don't believe so…it was deemed off limits because of the instability," he informed the king. "We are questioning those who would have been working in the nearby area now to see if anyone is missing."

"We should go investigate, Uncle," Fili told him, an odd sensation creeping into his bones over the news. "I…I have a bad feeling about this."

"Oh?" Thorin asked, looking at his sister-son questioningly. He had never known Fili to be overly dramatic, thus he was not about to discount his urgings on the matter too quickly. He turned to Bofur, the miner still working on organizing his crew, making sure they were all unharmed. "If you have everything under control here, I will take my leave."

"Of course," he nodded, giving his king a friendly wave as he returned to his duty.

Fili, anxious to get to the site of the cave in, rushed ahead, leaving his uncle and Dwalin to trail behind. He couldn't explain what compelled him to hurry, but something in his gut told him there was danger. When they all arrived at the cavern, there were half a dozen guards and just as many workers milling around, each one unwilling to enter for fear the ceiling was still unstable.

"Report!" Dwalin said gruffly, the dwarves in uniform snapping to attention.

"The ceiling caved in, destroying the bridge, and burying the small alcove beyond," one of them spoke up.

"The alcove?" Thorin questioned, just now realizing what the small recess in the stone had housed – the carving of him and his siblings. If it had been destroyed, he would mourn its loss, for they had so few remembrances of their brother Frerin as it was. "Is it possible the carvings beyond are salvageable?"

"We won't know until we can dig it out, but the bridge will need to be replaced first," a dwarf dressed in working clothes answered. "However, we will do our best to see it preserved, Your Majesty."

Just then, another guard stepped forward, with a nervous looking older dwarrow at his side.

"My King," he began. "This worker said that just before the cave in, he saw two others pass him in the hall, heading for this area."

"Others might have been in there?" Thorin asked in horror. "Do we know who? Is anyone unaccounted for?"

"My Lord Thorin," the older dwarf said, bowing his head. "I fear that the ones I saw were none other than Prince Kili…and Prince Fili's consort, the Lady Jade."

"OH, MAHAL!" Fili gasped, suddenly realizing exactly _why_ his stomach had been tied in knots with worry. Without thinking, he spun and headed for the archway that led to the demolished cavern, yet an iron-like grip on his arm held him back.

"Fili, NO!" his uncle ordered. "I will not see you trapped or killed as well!"

"We have to save them! I know they're alive…I can feel it!" the blond prince insisted, doing his best to shake off his king's hand, but it was no use.

"We will do everything we can to get them out…if they are indeed trapped in there," he swore. He then turned to one of the guards, ordering him to fetch Bofur, and have him bring his best rescue team on the double. All the while Thorin never let go of Fili's arm, knowing that his nephew would simply run headlong into danger should he release him.

"Thorin! What's going on?" came the voice of his sister, heading down the hall, quickly followed by Balin, Oin, and Nori. "I heard the rumbling in the lower halls…is everything all right?"

"Amad!" Fili shouted, at last pulling away from his uncle to go to his mother, desperate for answers. "Have you seen Kili or Jade in the last half an hour? Tell me you've seen them!"

"I…I haven't seen either since breakfast," she told him, her eyes growing wide with fear at her eldest son's demanding tone. "Why?"

"We know nothing for certain yet," Thorin broke in, doing his best to keep the situation from getting out of hand. "However, there is a chance that Kili and Jade might have been inside the chamber when the ceiling collapsed."

"WHAT?" Dis cried, lunging for the doorway herself, yet it was Fili who held her back. "My baby's in there…and Jade?"

"We don't know that!" Thorin reminded her, his voice perhaps a bit more harsh than necessary, but everyone was on edge. "At least not yet!"

"I'll make a search…if they're somewhere else in this mountain, I'll find them soon enough," Nori promised, hurrying off to do Mahal knows what, but they could guarantee he would get the job done.

"I'm sure they are both someplace safe, but until we know different we need to treat this as a rescue mission," Thorin continued, taking charge of the situation. "Dwalin, you tell your soldiers to block off the area, we don't want a bunch of spectators getting in the way. We will also need strong backs to cart out the rubble as well as detailed plans of every inch of that room." Next, he looked over at Oin. "I want you to ready the healing halls in case there are injuries while excavating, or Mahal forbid, Kili and Jade are indeed trapped in there." At this, Dis – who was never one to let her emotions show - gave a sob of fear and buried her face into Fili's chest. Yet, this was her baby, her little Kili they were talking about, not to mention the dam she had grown very fond of! Thus, her eldest son said nothing, only wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to offer much needed comfort.

Everyone leapt into action, eager to see to their task in hopes it would aid those who might be trapped, or at least ease the suffering of those who feared for them. Bofur and an entire team arrived seconds later, and without any need for instruction or direction, they set to work.

"Don't worry, Amad," Fili whispered into her ear as he rubbed circles across her back – much like she used to do when he was little and afraid. "I know they're alive…I can _feel_ it!" And he could too, for something deep within assured him that his brother was still with him, and the strange warmth he had been experiencing since having met Jade, still glowed strong as well. He only hoped they would find them soon…before those lights went out.

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Kili and Jade had remained quiet for a while, both lost in their own thoughts and fears, not wishing to voice them out loud, afraid of causing panic in the other. Yet, at last Jade could stand it no longer and spoke.

"How's your leg?" she asked, coming to sit beside the injured prince once again.

"I think it'll be all right," he told her, once more sitting up and supporting himself on his elbows as she squinted through the low light at it. "It hurts like the dickens, but I've experienced worse." His mind instantly recalled the debilitating pain he suffered when he was struck in the leg by that morgal arrow. This was _nothing_ compared to that! "Still, I don't think I'm bleeding out or anything, you bandaged me up pretty well."

"I'm no healer," she was quick to assure him. "But my cousin was always getting injured during battle practice before he rode off to Rohan, and I was the one who usually patched up his wounds."

"Your foster cousin?" Kili clarified, Fili having already told him that she didn't remember anything about her dwarf family, and only had a mysterious pendant to remember them by.

"Yes, Brayden," she nodded. "He's the son of my mother's, sister's daughter, Sella, so he would technically be my second cousin, I guess. Though of all those I was related to, we are the most alike in age…at least by their standards. I mean, I'm nearly fifty years older than him, but as far as maturity goes, we are the closest."

"I understand," Kili nodded. He knew that men aged much faster than dwarves, and to them, Jade would be likened to a woman in her early twenties. "And you say he left for Rohan?"

"Yes, to join King Thengel's army," she informed him. "I sent him a few letters when I moved to Ered Luin, but I never received a reply. Still, even if he _had_ sent any letters, I doubt they would find me now, especially after I came to Erebor. I just hope that his mother, Sella, has heard from him, even if I have not."

"Were you two close?" Kili inquired, noting a tinge of sorrow in her tone.

"As close as could be expected," she shrugged. "Him being a lad and me being a lass…and a dwarf to boot. We were an odd pair, but we got along very well, despite our size and age issues."

"I can only imagine the hardships you must have felt growing up," Kili sympathized. "We were surrounded by villages of men when we first settled near the Blue Mountains. It took years to build up the underground city, forcing us to deal and trade with the big folk quite a lot. Fili and I became used to it, not knowing any different, but Uncle and many of the others are still wary of other races…especially the elves."

"I've heard your uncle talking about Lord Thranduil and the Mirkwood elves, and not exactly in a favorable light. Why is that?" Jade asked, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them as she leaned back against the stone wall.

"Bad blood from way back," Kili sighed, laying back down as he laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the ceiling. "I'm not really sure what actually happened, but my great-grandfather, Thrór, and Thranduil had a falling out. Over some silly gems or something, or so I've heard. Needless to say, when the dragon attacked, the elves of Mirkwood did not come to the dwarves' rescue, and neither did they offer us aid."

"That's strange," Jade muttered, looking somewhat shocked by this. "For the elves I've met seemed very hospitable, and willing to offer assistance whenever they could."

"Oh, I'm not saying _all_ elves are like that…but like I said, there was bad blood between Thranduil and my great-grandfather, Thrór," Kili explained. "Still, it left a very bad taste in Thorin's mouth, and it was over a century before he was even willing to attempt to make peace again. The Mirkwood king throwing us all in his dungeons didn't help matters either, but in the end, when the elves chose to fight with us in the Battle of Five Armies, it softened my uncle's opinion of them somewhat." Kili was silent for a moment, before he spoke again, yet this time in such a quiet voice, that Jade wondered if he even knew he had said the words out loud. "Yet I fear he will never truly warm up to them… _or to her."_

"Her?" the dam questioned, although she knew in doing so, she was taking a chance of upsetting her companion. "Who do you wish for Thorin to warm up to?"

"Umm, no one!" he stated quickly, almost too quickly, leaving Jade even more suspicious. "No one at all. Forget I said anything."

"Rather hard to do when you seem so adamant about it," Jade grinned, imagining that she could see a blush color his cheeks in the dim light. "Come on, Kili, we're trapped in here with nothing to do, and there's always a chance we won't get out of this alive. Might as well tell me. I'll most likely take it to my grave anyway."

"Well now, aren't you the little optimist?" he replied, the hint of a smile on his lips as he regarded her thoughtfully. "Fine…but if we _do_ get out of here, and don't die horrible deaths, you have to swear never to speak a word of this! Understand?"

"Of course! I give you my word," Jade promised, holding up her hand in a gesture of assurance. "Your secret is safe with me." She then leaned forward, resting her chin on her knees as she waited for Kili to speak. After a few false starts, and one very long exasperated sigh, he spoke.

"So…on our quest, I kind of met someone," he reluctantly confessed. "We were traveling through Mirkwood, doing our best to find our way on a path that kept disappearing, when we were attacked by spiders."

"Spiders?" Jade had not heard _this_ story before.

"Yep, large, hairy, dwarf-eating spiders," Kili continued, his tone telling her that he was far from joking. "They were the size of horses and wanted nothing more than to wrap us in their webs and dine on us for dinner."

"What did you do?" Jade gasped, her eyes growing wide at the thought.

"Tried to fight them off, of course," he admitted. "However, they snuck up from behind and stung us all with their poison, knocking us out and dragging us off. Thankfully, Bilbo, our Hobbit Burglar, avoided such a fate and came to our rescue, getting us out of their clutches, and we all ran as quickly as we could in hopes of getting away. It might have worked too…but we ended up surrounded by Wood-elves before we could. Thankfully, they have no love for the spiders either, and made quick work of them before taking us all prisoner. And that's when I met her… _Tauriel_ ," Kili finished with a wistful sigh.

"Tauriel? An elf?" Jade clarified…pretty sure he didn't mean a spider. Besides, she recalled Fili mentioning that name before, when he had spoken of what took place in the Battle of Five Armies.

"The most beautiful elf there ever was, or ever will be," Kili continued, his voice now full of reverence and wonder. "Her hair was like a dancing flame, her movements like water, and her eyes…oh, her eyes like the cool green grass of spring."

"Well…she sounds… _lovely_ ," Jade replied, doing her best not to snicker at this flattering description.

"Lovely doesn't even begin to describe her," Kili went on. "She reminded me of a lightning storm, both beautiful and deadly at the same time. She took out several of those spiders as if they were nothing but annoying flies, her blades slicing, her bow singing, and all the while I stood there and gazed upon her as if she were one of the Valar."

"She saved your life?" she pressed, eager to hear more.

"That she did…right before she took me captive and threw me into the dungeons," he chuckled, finding the whole thing rather humorous when spoken out loud. "I mean, it _was_ her duty after all, her being the captain of Thranduil's guard." He let out another sigh. "We spent a lot of time talking through my prison bars though, for she would come and sit with me each night after making her rounds. We were there for nearly a week before Bilbo found a way to free us, so needless to say…I became rather attached."

"I can imagine," Jade agreed. "But you _did_ escape. And you never saw her again?"

"Yes, we did escape…but not without consequences," Kili admitted. "I took an orc arrow to the leg in the process, leaving me rather incapacitated. I of course had no idea at the time that it was a morgal shaft that had struck me, one that was slowly bringing me under the control of the forces of Mordor."

"OH NO!" Jade gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "What did you do?"

"Limped around while trying to downplay the whole thing," he confessed. "None of us knew how serious it was, that is until I could no longer stand, think, or fight against the pain and agony. Thankfully, that's when Tauriel showed up, coming to our rescue once again like the warrior she is. Not only did she turn the tide against a hoard of orcs who were attacking us at Bard's house, but she used her strange elf magic to heal my leg and free me of falling prey to the dark forces. And I believe _that's_ when I truly fell in love with her."

"You…you're _in love_ with her?" Jade figured she shouldn't be shocked by this, since from everything Kili had been saying about her, it was obvious that he held her in very high regard. But for a prince of Erebor, and a son of Durin, to confess his love for an elf-maid…well, _that_ was something!

"Have been for nearly six months now," he nodded. "She fought in the battle with us, even saved Fili's life when Azog had him captured on the cliffs at Ravenhill," Kili informed her. "He would have run my brother through with that spike on his arm if she hadn't fired an arrow and struck that foul beast in the shoulder. Once free of the orc's grip, Fili leapt over the side and caught few handholds, allowing him to slow his fall, and not kill himself when he made it to the bottom. In the melee that followed, I unfortunately lost track of her, but I know she made it out of the battle alive."

"Where is she now?" This was one lass that Jade truly wished to meet.

"Back in Mirkwood," he told her in a sad voice. "She returned with her king and I haven't seen her since."

"You mean you haven't gone after her, or spoken to her about your feelings?" Jade demanded.

"And say what?" Kili scoffed, gesturing to an imaginary Tauriel as if speaking directly to her. _"Oh, fair maid of the woods, I know we're of two different races, and I know we just only stopped being mortal enemies, oh, and let's not forget that our kings would never condone us associating…but despite all that, I'm kind of in love with you?"_ He waved his hand around in the air as if to point out the absurdity of it all.

"Well…yes!" Jade huffed, not at all understanding his reluctance. "What does it matter that you two are of different races? I've heard of elves and men marrying, as well as men and dwarves…why not an elf and a dwarf then? And do you honestly think your uncle would stop you from following you heart, even if it led you to Mirkwood?"

"You don't know my uncle very well yet, do you?" Kili laughed, though there was no humor in it. "I think he would rather I fell in love with a cave troll then an elf."

"Well, I've never seen a cave troll…but personally, I think an elf is a _much_ better choice," Jade concluded.

"As do I…but it's not _my_ opinion that's the problem," he pointed out. "Still, it doesn't matter right now anyway. What does matter is getting out of here alive, or any talk of love and elves will be pointless."

"Agreed," Jade nodded. "Any ideas?"

"None," he said despondently. "I seem to have left my blasting powder in my other trousers along with my pic-axe and shovel. You?"

"Sorry," she replied, patting her pockets with a frown. "And I skipped wizard class in school…so there's no chance of me using any magic powers to help us escape," Jade added. "Looks like we sit and wait…and just hope someone comes looking."

* * *

 **Kili, don't you know how important it is to carry a pick axe and blasting power in your trousers at all times? ha ha. Maybe Tauriel WAS right in the dungeons...you have nothing down your trousers. ha ha.**

 **And don't worry, Fili knows you are alive and he will not rest until you both are rescued. That and Dis wouldn't let anyone sleep until you are both safe either.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

Since I'm posting two in one day, I have no guest reviews at the moment, but I do hope to get some.

But **Emrfangirl**...I wanted to make sure you saw both of my responses to your reviews at the end of chapter 11. I only saw yours for chapter 10 after I posted, and I quickly went back in and added it in. Hope you saw both of them.


	13. Chapter 13

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 **Travelbug:**

Just letting you know that I'm getting ALL your wonderful reviews, and I am responding to them in the next chapter I will be posting...you will just have to wait till then to catch up on my comments to your kind reviews. But know I am getting them and loving them! Keep them coming!

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 **Chapter 13**

 **~X~**

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Thankfully, the dwarves had already fashioned a make-shift bridge out of long wooden planks, spanning the crevasse and anchoring them on the far side where the large pile of stones possibly trapped two errant dwarves.

"There was an alcove here," Bofur reasoned, pointing at the massive rocks blocking their way. "There's a chance they made it inside and were protected from the cave in." He didn't voice his opinion on what might have become of them if they hadn't, and he very much feared removing a boulder only to find his long-time friend and prince flattened beyond recognition. He refused to allow his mind to imagine what might have become of them if they had fallen off the bridge or been underneath that piece of ceiling that brought the stone archway down.

"Then let's get to digging!" Fili urged, eager to set to work.

"Hold off, lad," Bofur cautioned. "We can't just start grabbing rocks and pulling them out willy-nilly. That could cause another cave in. This has to be done systematically. So, stay back and let the professionals take the lead. If you insist on helping, take your place among the brigade, and transport the stones we deem safe to remove." In truth, Bofur simply wanted to keep the blond prince far enough back that he could shield him from any horrific sight they may encounter, praying to Mahal that it didn't come to that. "But first…let's see if we can determine if there are any signs of life behind all this."

Everyone watched as the hatted miner picked up a stone and began striking the rocks before him in a pattern. He would make four taps, and then wait half a minute before repeating it. He did this a total of seven times, yet without any response. When he turned and shook his head, he saw Dis cover her face in despair.

"Don't give up hope, this only means we might need to clear out some rocks before they can hear us," he urged.

"Or it could mean they are injured…or worse!" Dis sobbed, turning to Thorin for support.

"They're alive, Amad…I know it," Fili called to her from across the wooden bridge. "We just need to dig them out."

"Then it's best we get started!" Bofur agreed, signaling to his crew as they began to carefully extract one stone at a time, passing it back across the bridge to the others. It would be slow going, but precision was the key here, not speed.

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"And _that's_ how I learned to use a bow and arrows," Kili finished, having been regaling Jade about his weapons training as a child.

"See…your uncle didn't mind that, did he?" she pointed out. "Even if a bow is more of an elven weapon."

"True, but mostly because it bagged us meat in the winter when food was scarce," Kili reasoned. "And can we just drop the whole elf thing for now. I'm depressed enough as it is without bringing up my pathetic love life."

"Fine," Jade conceded, quickly thinking up a new topic. "So…why don't you tell me the most foolish thing you've ever done…besides falling for an elf, that is."

"Oh, that's a hard one," he muttered, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.

"Really? Why? Because you're always so wise and careful?" she laughed.

"No…because there are so many, many…many to choose from!" he chuckled back. "However, I would have to say that attacking three hideous trolls all by myself would rank right at the top."

"You took on three trolls alone…whatever for?" Jade demanded.

"To save a friend," he smiled, thinking of Bilbo. "One my brother and I kind of got into the fix in the first place, so it only seemed fair to jump headlong into getting him out." When Jade stared at him questioningly, he went on. "You see, Fili and I were often put in charge of guarding the ponies on our trip from Ered Luin to Erebor. Well, one night he and I kind of got distracted watching a mother fox and her kits, and when we returned to our post…a few of the ponies were missing."

"They had wandered off?' she guessed.

"Not exactly…they were carried off by cave trolls," Kili corrected. "Three of them, by the name of Tom, Bert, and William, to be exact."

"You took time to ask their names?" Jade asked incredulously.

"No, of course not, but we were forced to listen to them talk for a while, so we picked up on what they were called," he explained. "Anyway, they caught Bilbo when he was attempting to free the ponies and were threatening to cook and eat him. Fili had already gone back to alert the others and get help, so, being the only one there at the time…I kind of jumped in."

"Well, I take it you were successful," Jade reasoned.

"I wouldn't exactly use the word _successful_ ," Kili cringed recalling the events that quickly followed. "But we did all come out of it alive, and the trolls were turned to stone with the help of our wily burglar, a wizard, and dawn's first light." Kili then turned on his side, cringing a bit as the movement tugged on his injured leg, then resting his head on his palm, supported upon his elbow, he looked at Jade. "Now…your turn. What was the most foolish thing you ever did?"

"Not counting coming to Erebor and stumbling into your brother's bedroom?" she questioned with a roll of her eyes. "Well, then I would have to say that would be…" Yet Jade never got to finish her sentence, for at that moment Kili raised his hand, shushing her as he sat up suddenly.

Jade too listened, wondering what had caught Kili's attention.

"Do you hear that?" he hissed, struggling to get to his feet, but falling back to the ground with a low moan as he grabbed his injured leg.

"Hear what?" Jade demanded, not at all sure what she was listening for.

"That tapping! Can't you hear it?" Once more, Kili held up his hand and waited…and after what felt like forever, it came again. Four faint taps. "There!"

"YES! I do hear it!" she gasped, rising to her feet hurrying over to the rubble blocking their exit, placing her ear to it as she waited for the taps to return. When they did, her smile grew even wider.

"They're asking for a response," Kili informed her. "You have to answer back."

"How? What do I do?" she was sure it wasn't as simple as tapping back, that there was a certain way she was meant to respond.

"Pick up a rock and hit the biggest bolder twice, then pause, then strike it again three times," he instructed. "Hurry, before they begin digging again and can't hear us."

Jade did just as Kili said, using a fist-sized rock to tap out the signal he had directed. _Tap, tap….tap, tap, tap._

 _._

 _._

"THEY'RE ALIVE!" Bofur shouted back, the whole room filled with anxious faces, each one desperate for confirmation of that very fact. "I heard two taps and then three more!"

"That means that one is injured and the other is unharmed!" Thorin deduced, quite familiar with the code used by miners. "But at least there were no single taps…meaning death."

"Let's get them out of there!" Fili demanded. And with renewed vigor everyone set to work once more, yet this time with smiles on their faces and a lot more hope in their hearts.

.

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"I can hear them getting closer!" Jade cried out soon after, pressing her ear to the rocks as she listened. "They're coming!"

"Get away from there," Kili ordered, using his palms to inch himself back as far as he could into the alcove. "We need to give them room to work and hope they don't start another rockslide. Come over here by me, it's safer."

Jade did as instructed, the two of them sitting against the farthest wall as they stared at the rocks, anxiously waiting for the first shaft of light to pierce the stone barrier.

"You know," Kili whispered, a goofy grin on his face. "This couldn't have come at a better time."

"Oh? And was there ever a bad time to be rescued?" Jade joked, her voice was filled with uncontained joy.

"No, of course not, but it just so happens that I was starting to become rather desperate to use the facilities…if you take my meaning," he revealed.

"Well…then yes, it is a very good thing our rescue is at hand, isn't it?" she laughed, reaching down as she entwined her fingers with Kili's, lacing them together as they gave each other an encouraging squeeze.

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"One more, lads!" Bofur cried out, as he and several other tired and dirty miners shoved and pulled at a particularly large rock. It took nearly all their strength, but at last it gave way, sending a multitude of smaller rocks and pebbles raining down around them, stirring up the dust so that it was hard to see. Yet, when the air cleared, there was a hole the size of a large pumpkin in the rocks, allowing them to see inside the cavern at last. Scrambling up to where it lay, Bofur poked his head inside, his hat tipping off his head and tumbling down his back as he did. "Well…hello, Kili! Jade!" he called, blinking through the darkness as he spotted the dwarrow and dam huddled within. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"And if you aren't a sight for sore eyes, I don't know what is!" Kili laughed, never so happy to see his old friend in his life. "And as soon as I'm able, I'm taking you down to the pub and buying you the biggest mug of ale they make…maybe even two!"

"I'll hold you to that, lad," Bofur said with a wide grin and wink. Yet before he could say any more, his head disappeared, and another's filled the small space.

"KILI? JADE?" Fili shouted, his expression melting into one of utter relief when he spied the two of them sitting there with smiles on their dusty faces. "Oh, thank Mahal!"

"And Bofur too," Kili laughed. "I believe he had a hand in our rescue, don't you think."

"That he did," Fili chuckled. "Now just sit tight, we'll have you out of there as soon as possible." His head instantly vanished, followed by a shout of joy to those waiting anxiously behind him. "THEY'RE ALRIGHT!" This was followed by a loud cheer, one that made Kili and Jade look at each other with tears in their eyes, just before they threw their arms around each other in a hug of relief.

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It took hardly any time at all before two dwarves were packing Kili back over the wooden bridge on a stretcher, with Oin eagerly waiting on the other side to get a look at his patient. Fili had been one of the first to assist his brother out of the cave, helping him onto the wood and cloth carrier before reaching back inside for Jade. He truly hoped that she had not noticed how his hands visibly shook as he guided her through the small opening in the rubble. Fili had been holding his breath, waiting desperately for this moment, and now that it was here, he felt like _he'd_ been the one buried in the rockfall. Kili was safe…Jade was safe…they were both going to be all right, and thank Mahal, Fili thought _he_ just might be as well.

"I'm so sorry about all this," Jade told him, not knowing quite what to say now that they were face to face. "I…I didn't mean to cause so much trouble, honest."

"Do you think I give an orc's ass about trouble?" Fili asked, a cross between a laugh and a gasp escaping him. "I'm just so happy you're safe. Both of you!" And before even he knew what he was doing, Fili scooped Jade up in his arms, and headed over the wooden planks, eager to get her back on the safe side of the chasm. Jade had seemed a bit shocked by his actions, but quickly stilled when she saw the deep chasm that lay on either side of her as they crossed, turning into Fili and burying her face against his chest. The blond prince didn't complain one bit.

"Looks as if he took a rock shard to the leg, but he'll be just fine," Oin told everyone once he had a chance to examine Kili's wound. "Still, we need to get him to the healing halls, so I can tend to it." He next turned to Jade. "How about you, lass? Any cuts or broken bones?"

"No, I think I'm fine," she assured the kindly old healer, feeling rather foolish answering questions from Fili's arms, but he made no move to set her down, and truth be told, she wasn't finding the situation overly objectionable. "I just need a bath and a bit of a rest."

"Nonsense! I insist you be thoroughly checked out as well." Dis instructed, not having left Kili's side since he had come over the bridge. "Bring her along, Fili, I won't rest until Oin gives them each a clean bill of health." And off she went, holding her younger son's hand as the dwarves carried him out into the hall and up the corridor.

"You heard my mother," Fili said with a forced smile. "To the healing halls with you." They followed the others, but at a slower pace, since he wanted to keep Jade in his arms for as long as possible. The more time he spent with her, or away from her – as in the past several hours when she was trapped – Fili knew he was growing more and more attached to his pretend consort. And just like his current inability to set her down, he was wondering if he might never be able to let her go. Still, there would be time to address this issue later, right now he only wanted to get her to the healing halls, and for Oin to assure him that both Jade and his brother were truly going to be fine.

.

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"You did an excellent job," Thorin told Bofur, slapping the tired looking miner on the back. "I owe you one, old friend."

"Actually, you owe me several…but who's counting," Bofur grinned back, one of the very few dwarves in the mountain brave enough to tease their often-grumpy king.

"Just see that you don't call in all your markers at once then," Thorin laughed. "I fear I might have to hock the Arkenstone in order to make good on them."

"How about you buy me a nice mug of ale when Kili is all better, and we'll call it even?" Bofur suggested.

"How about an entire keg?" the king replied, throwing one arm around the miner's shoulders, and the other around Dwalin's, the three of them following the others towards the healing halls.

.

.

An hour later, Kili had been thoroughly patched up, and everyone assured that he would make a full recovery. Jade too had been examined, and other than a small scratch on her forehead, Oin had been pleased with her condition. Fili was ejected from the examining room when Dis had insisted that Jade be allowed to bathe and put on clean clothes, urging him to go see if Oin was allowing Kili to have visitors yet. So it was, that Fili sat at the end of his brother's bed, glaring at him with his steel blue eyes.

"You know, if I'd known I'd be getting the evil eye from you, I might have stayed in that alcove a bit longer, Nadad," Kili huffed, not sure what Fili was so peeved about. "You don't think I planned this or something?"

"No, of course not," Fili grumbled. "But I just spent several hours worried sick that you were dead, Kili! DEAD! I mean, I kept telling Amad and everyone else that I knew you were alive…but truth be told, I was starting to doubt myself after a while. You scared the crap out of me, Naddith! Don't you _ever_ do that again, do you hear me?"

"Yes, of course, I hear you," Kili said with a heavy sigh. "It's not like we got trapped on purpose. And this time I didn't even do anything to cause all the trouble."

"You were where you weren't supposed to be!" Thorin's voice broke in, the formidable king entering the room along with his sister and Dwalin. "And apparently, if you hadn't gone into that unstable chamber, Jade would not have unwittingly followed. What were you doing down there in the first place?"

"I…I wanted to see the carving on the wall of you, Amad, and Uncle Frerin," Kili admitted looking downward in shame. "I didn't know Jade was tailing me…honest." He then looked up at Fili. "Yet, I'm really glad she did. Since when the ceiling came down, it was _her_ who pushed _me_ out of the way to safety. She saved my life, you know. I would have been as flattened if she hadn't been there."

"Don't even joke about something like that!" Dis admonished sternly. "I can't even think about what might have happened to you…to you both!"

"Then, it would seem I am indebted to the lass for saving your worthless hide," Thorin said, crossing his arms as he stared at Kili. And though his words sounded harsh, there was an underlying sense of relief and affection in them, something that Kili heard loud and clear.

"Yeah…about that. I kind of offered her tons of gold and silver, along with Fili's hand in marriage, for her heroic deed," Kili joked, watching as Thorin's eyebrow raised questioningly…and his brother grinned like a loon.

"If so, it's coming out of _your_ share," was Thorin's only reply. Yet when he stepped closer and leaned in to rest his forehead against Kili's, that said more than any words could. "I'm glad you're safe, sister-son. Mahal was merciful on the line of Durin this day."

"I'm sorry I worried you, Uncle," Kili admitted, feeling guilty over that more than anything.

"We're getting used to it," Dis chuckled, touched by her brother's unusual display of affection. She knew he thought of the lads like sons, but to see him express it…well, those moments were few and far between.

"Just don't make it a habit, laddie," Dwalin ordered, then rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What am I saying, you've been perfecting the art of getting yourself in trouble since you were a wee sprout. And I don't see you changing your ways this late in the game."

"Probably not," Kili laughed. "But I'll do my best to keep it at a minimum."

"That's all we ask, Son," Dis smiled, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Now, you rest, and I'll be back later to help you with your dinner."

"I have an injured leg, Amad, not a broken arm," Kili huffed.

"Sass me again, Kili son of Flinn, and I'd be happy to take care of that for you," Dis told him sternly. "I almost lost you today, so you _will_ humor me and do as I say, understand?"

"Yes, Amad," Kili said in a sheepish voice. "Thank you."

"That's better," Dis said with a nod. "Now, I'm going to go check on Jade, she should be done with her bath by now and it would appear I need to thank her about a million times more for what she did. Come, Brother, Kili needs his sleep." And taking Thorin by the arm, she all but drug him out, with Dwalin trailing behind, trying not to laugh at his King's consternation.

"Are you sure you don't need anything, Naddith?" Fili asked, fussing over Kili's pillow as he fluffed it for him. "Anything to drink? Eat?"

"No, my stomach doesn't feel like eating right now and Oin must have forced half a gallon of water down my throat before he let you all in," he assured him, patting his stomach. "Maybe later."

"You're not hungry?" Fili asked in a shocked voice, one dripping with sarcasm. "You must really be bad off then, maybe I should let you rest, like Amad said."

"No, stay," Kili begged. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh? What is that?" the blond asked, sitting down on the side of Kili's bed.

"Jade," he announced, lacing his fingers together and placing them over his midsection. "I wanted to say that I've come to the conclusion that I very much approve of her." A rather guilty look then crossed his face. "At first, I guess I was against her. Not because I didn't like _her_ or anything, just that…well, I felt like she was taking you away from me."

"Don't be ridiculous! No one could ever come between us, Naddath!" Fili protested. "We're brothers! And you're my best friend."

"But one day you might also be a husband," Kili pointed out.

"So might you," Fili countered.

"Not unless Uncle's opinion of elves changes drastically overnight, I won't," Kili said in a despondent tone.

"Still can't stop thinking about that elf lass, can you?" his brother deduced, a sad expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Kili."

"I'm not," he countered. "I mean, I'm sorry that we're being kept apart, but I'm not sorry that I'm in love with her," Kili clarified. "And I don't see that changing… _ever_."

"I wish I could help in some way, but I honestly don't know how," Fili admitted.

"Me either," Kili said with a sigh. "But back to you and Jade. I want you to know that if there's anything I can do to make up for the way I acted, I will. She's a great lass, and I'm not just saying that because she saved my life. We really talked while trapped together, and she truly impressed me. So, if it turns out that Jade is the lass you want…I support you, Brother."

"Thanks, Kili," Fili said, a genuine look of surprise and pleasure on his face. "That means a lot coming from you…it really does."

"Yeah, well, don't get all mushy about it or anything," Kili grinned. "I said I would support you…but convincing her of your worthiness is all on _you_."

"And there lies the question… _am_ I worthy of her?" Fili asked. "I mean I already made a royal mess of things when we first met. Will I be able to make it up to her before Uncle calls off our sham of a courtship? As well as make up my mind whether I _want_ the courtship to continue?"

"Well…I think your chances to find out can start right now," Kili whispered, spotting the door at the far end of the room opening, and the shy face of Jade peeking in. Her eyes landed on Kili and she smiled, but when Fili turned around as well, she pulled back.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I just wanted to check on Kili, I didn't mean to interrupt," she insisted, turning to leave. She recalled what the younger prince had said about feeling somewhat ignored by his brother, and she didn't want to take any of Fili's time away from him now.

"Nonsense! Come in," Kili called, waving her over with a wide smile. "You're not interrupting anything. In fact, I was given strict orders to get some rest, and this lunk-head is keeping me up. Would you please take him off my hands and see that he's entertained so I can sleep?"

"Lunk-head?" Fili huffed, eyeing his brother in confusion. "And _you_ were the one who…"

"Who _just_ escaped death, and needs his rest," Kili broke in, making a shooing motion with his hands at Fili. "Now go…be gone with you. Leave already."

At last, Fili caught on, and giving his younger brother a smile and a wink, he stood up and walked over to where Jade waited – the lass completely oblivious to the silent messages being passed between the princes.

"I'm glad you're doing well, Kili," Jade told him, partially over her shoulder as Fili led her back to the doorway. "Get some rest."

"I will…you too," he called after her. "And thanks again!"

Jade simply waved as the door shut behind them, leaving Kili alone. He leaned back against his pillow, laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. He was glad to be out of the cave-in, happy that both he and Jade had come to an understanding, and honestly hopeful that Fili would find a way to convince the lass that this courtship was no longer a farce in his eyes.

"Maybe that could be my craft?" Kili muttered to himself, a smile touching his lips. "I could be a match-maker, and see my brother happily wed." The idea intrigued him, for all of five minutes, before he realized how much time and effort he would have to put into such a thing…and quickly dismissing it. Besides, he knew nothing about love… _or did he?_ For as he shut his eyes and tried to do as his mother instructed, Kili found that visions of a red-haired elf lass danced behind his eyelids, bringing a warm and wistful smile back to his lips. "Ahhhh, Tauriel," he whispered into the silence, desperately wishing that she was truly there.

* * *

 **And everyone is now safe! All rescued!**

 **Looks like Kili is on team-Jade now, and will help Fili out all he can.**

 **Thorin and Dis are now indebted to Jade as well, so that works in her favor!**

 **And it would appear that Bofur won't have to buy his own drinks for at least a month after his daring rescue! ha ha.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Emrfangirl:** Ohhhh, you meant an avalanche of LOVE, not Stone?! My bad. ha ha. Yes, it was just a boo-boo, not an invasion. And of course Fili would 'feel' that his brother was alive...and Jade too. As for the whole Tauriel thing, well, that remains to be seen. I've had several readers becoming curious about this Grey Mountain delegation...either you are all just very suspicious, or excellent sleuths. ha ha. You will have to wait and see.

 **Where did all the rest of my guest readers go? Did you go on vacation too? And while I highly recommend doing so - especially if you went to a warm place with sand and surf - I do hope you will return to reading at some point. I miss you.**


	14. Chapter 14

.

 **You asked for another chapter quickly...well here you go!**

.

 **Chapter 14**

 **~X~**

* * *

"You really don't need to walk me back to my chambers, Fili," Jade told him, feeling a bit awkward all of a sudden. "I told your mother the same thing. I do know the way."

"I'm sure you do," he agreed, his mind a bit distracted over all the things he had been wanting to say to Jade since the moment they had found her and Kili alive in the cave in. "But…well, I wanted the chance to speak with you."

"Oh? About what?" Jade questioned, turning her head a bit in order to stare up at his odd expression. "Have I done something wrong?"

"What? No! Of course not!" Fili assured her, halting in his tracks and turning to face her. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug, tucking a stray lock of hair nervously behind her ear. "It just seems like that's all I do lately…get myself in one kind of fix after another. I swear, I was never this foolish or clumsy before, but since I traveled to the Blue Mountains, and now Erebor, I'm all thumbs it seems."

"I would hardly call surviving a cave-in being clumsy," Fili smiled. "And in doing so, you saved my little brother's life, so I'm in your debt, My Lady."

"Oh, don't say that," Jade groaned. "Kili said the same thing, as did your mother and uncle. I don't think I can take another round of gratitude right now. I only did what anyone else would have in the same situation, honest."

"Well, regardless of that," Fili told her, his voice growing very serious. "I can't tell you how much your actions mean to me…or the rest of my family. The Durins are at your service for life." Here he took a step closer, prompting her to retreat, placing her against the wall as she looked up at him with wide eyes. "And like it or not, Lady Jade, I fully intend to demonstrate my appreciation."

"You…you do?" she whispered, her heart racing from the nearness of him. Jade had found this happening a lot lately, and if it continued she would have to sit down and figure out exactly why. Yet right now, all she could seem to do was focus on Fili's mouth as it curled into a devastating smile.

"I do," he nodded, his own eyes focusing on her slightly parted lips as well. "And I can think of only one way to express my feelings at this moment." Fili could hear his words, and they were a shock to even his own ears. When had he become so bold? His uncle had warned him not to trifle with Jade in any way, and he knew his mother would roast him alive if he hurt her. But somehow, deep within, he couldn't seem to stop himself. He truly wanted to kiss her, to find out if what he was starting to feel was real. Fili only prayed that he wasn't making a huge mistake and that she wouldn't haul off and slap his face over the offence. So, leaning down further, he held his breath, giving her plenty of time to stop him should she so wish.

"There you are, Jade!" came the relieved voice of Dis as she rounded the corner and spotted the two of them alone in the corridor. "I waited for you at the end of the healing halls, but you never came."

Jade had literally jumped at the sound of her name, her face turning beet red at the idea of what she had just been hoping was about to happen. Yet, surely it had only been her imagination, there was no way Fili, Prince of Erebor, had truly meant to kiss her! And now with Dis approaching at a determined speed, she would never know for sure.

"Mother," Fili said with a sigh, one that seemed to mirror Jade's own disappointment. "I could have escorted Jade back just fine."

"True…but how was I to know that you were doing so, and what kind of dam would I be if I let Jade make her way back alone," Dis questioned. "After what she's just been through, I'm surprised she's still on her feet."

"No, really, Dis…I'm fine," Jade tried to assure her mistress.

"Well, a bit of ale and a soft bed will assure that," she stated, placing her arm around Jade and leading her down the hall. "Your uncle wishes to see you, Fili, in his council chamber as soon as possible. Don't keep him waiting."

Fili watched them go, noting that Jade turned around and looked back at him twice before rounding the corner and leaving his view. He had been so close! He still ached to know how soft her lips were, and here his mother had just ruined everything!

So, with a heavy sigh, Fili headed off to see what Thorin wanted. Yet no matter what it was, he knew his mind would only be on one thing. Jade's lips.

 _Wait…_ Fili thought to himself… _or was that two things?_

 _._

 _._

As much as she hated to admit it, Dis had been right. After a few sips of sweet ale, and her feather bed beneath her, Jade was out like a light. She slept well, her body apparently needing the downtime after her harrowing experience. Still, while she slept, Jade dreamt of Fili, of him kissing her, of his hands on her skin, threading through her hair, and pulling her closer…always closer. Yet just before she allowed her dream-self to give in completely to his tantalizing seduction, Jade suddenly noticed that Kili stood nearby, the look in his eyes one of utter betrayal.

Sitting up in bed with a gasp, she did her best to control her breathing and bring her heartbeat back under control. And while she longed to meditate on that kiss a bit longer, the sad expression on Kili's dream-face left an impression. Jade needed to be more considerate of the younger prince. Fili was his brother, a bond that held more meaning and significance than her fake courtship ever could. She would need to attempt to limit her time with Fili or make certain that Kili didn't feel excluded during their expected outings. It was a small price to pay to keep Kili happy – for she honestly had become rather attached to him during the time they were trapped – as well as still get to enjoy Fili's company. And she was determined to relish every moment with him, until the fateful day when it would all come to an end.

What would she do then? Just go back to being Dis' maid? Could she even do such a thing? The idea of being around Fili after breaking things off had suddenly become rather unthinkable. Still, what were her options? Jade supposed she could always go back to the Blue Mountains, but the place would seem rather lonely without Dis or many of the other dams she knew who had traveled with them to Erebor. Still…it wasn't like she had any other home to go back to, or any other family.

"You will simply have to put him out of your mind!" she informed herself sternly, pulling back the blanket and getting up. "And you can start by doing so during dinner. Be aloof, don't let him charm you…and whatever you do, don't look longingly into his eyes, or at his lips! Because if you do…you're sunk."

.

.

Meanwhile, Fili was having a similar conversation with himself, only his was how to woo Jade, not push her away. He would attempt to make her laugh more, he loved the sound of her laughter, as well as the way her smile lit up the room. He would compliment her more as well, make sure she knew just how irresistible she truly was. And, given the chance, he planned on holding her hand, placing his arm around her, and generally getting closer to her at every opportunity.

"Fili, are you even listening to me?" Thorin grumbled, taking note of his nephew's far off look.

"What? Oh…yes, of course, Uncle," the blond prince said with a start, looking rather sheepish.

"Really? And what did I just say?" Thorin demanded, crossing his arms and offering him the chance to respond.

"That…that the King of Rohan will be here sometime tomorrow and that we need to make certain that the halls are cleared and that he takes a specific path so that he does not see _too_ much of Erebor's innerworkings," Fili replied hopefully.

Thorin sat there staring at Fili for a few seconds before giving a huff.

"Lucky guess," he mumbled, leaning forward as he began reading off the paper in front of him once more, missing his nephew's relieved sigh. "Things might be a little different from the old days, where we kept our lasses hidden away from other races, but still, I would rather the men of Rohan not be made aware of our greatest treasures. There are so few dwarrowdams as it is, no sense in placing them in any unnecessary danger by having them mingle with foreign men."

"But our lasses go to Dale all the time," Fili reasoned.

"And I trust Bard and those under him more than I do some horse-riding king from far away," Thorin huffed. "Just see that none of our females are in the area while he and his men are here. It is only one day, it could hardly be an inconvenience to anyone, and you know what they say…better safe than sorry."

"I would run this by Amad if I were you," the prince warned him.

"Your mother will obey my command, I _am_ king after all," Thorin stated firmly.

"Has that ever stopped her from doing whatever she wanted to in the past?" Fili questioned, a sly grin on his face.

"There's always a first time for everything," Thorin said with a roll of his eyes. "And one can only dream."

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That night at dinner, Jade was met with a round of applause when she entered the hall with Fili, the tale of how she had saved Prince Kili during the cave-in having already been widely circulated. She had blushed a deep red at all the attention and accolades, nodding shyly, but graciously accepting all the fuss. Fili did do his utmost to impress Jade, by telling the wittiest jokes, acting like a gentle-dwarf, and being the most attentive partner a lass could hope for. And yet, her reaction to it all was sadly disappointing. What had happened? Had he done something to offend her? Did his near slip in the hallway earlier frighten her off? _What?_

Yet, it all became painfully clear when he asked if he could escort her back to her chambers.

"Yes, of course," she agreed, causing Fili's face to split into a wide grin. Yet, in the next second it all turned sour. "On the way, could we stop by and see Kili? I didn't get much of a chance to speak with him after Oin released me, and I want to see how he's doing."

"Kili?" Fili asked, all the blood draining from his face. "You want to see _Kili_?"

"Yes…don't you?" Her expression appeared so forlorn over this that he quickly assured her that he did, yet all the while wishing he had not even suggested walking her back to her room now.

Was _this_ the reason for the cold shoulder? She was attracted to his little brother, and not him at all? What had gone on in that alcove? Kili said they talked…but did more take place than that? And why had his naddith suddenly had a change of heart about Jade, saying that he approved of her? Fili's mind was spinning, hardly even noticing that they had both risen from the table and headed for the doorway. He also couldn't recall a thing that was said on the walk to the healing halls, but apparently he had managed to say something intelligible, for Jade never questioned any of his responses. Yet now, as they approached Kili's room, Fili could feel a burning in his chest that caused more pain than if a true fire had taken root. Was he about to lose any chance he might have had with Jade because of his little brother? Forced to watch her moon over his own flesh and blood while his own feelings for her were still a jumbled mess?

"Are we going in?" Jade's voice broke through Fili's thoughts, making him realize they were indeed just standing there in front of the closed door.

"Yes…of course. You first," he offered, reaching for the handle and pulling it open so she could step inside. As she did so, he watched her expressions, looking for anything that appeared to resemble infatuation.

"Kili? Are you asleep?" Jade asked quietly, noticing that the young dwarrow was laying on the bed appearing to be dozing. Yet the moment he heard her voice, his eyes flew open and his head popped up.

"No! Not at all! Please come in!" he all but begged. "It gets really lonely stuck in here all alone."

"You're _not_ in prison," Fili grumbled following Jade inside. "And you've only been here for less than a day."

"Still, for a lively fellow like myself, one that's used to getting all the attention he wants," here he winked at Jade playfully. "I feel quite isolated. So, tell me…what's new with the outside world?"

Fili only rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall at the foot of Kili's bed, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at this little brother. He was goofy, to be sure, but he also knew that Kili's lighthearted charm and silliness had won him the attentions of many a lass back in Ered Luin. Still, had he not just stated that his heart lay with the elf-captain back in Mirkwood? Fili was really confused.

"Nothing catastrophic has taken place since we were rescued from the cave-in, Kili," Jade laughed, taking a seat on his bed and giving him a warm smile. "The sun still rises in the east, Gondor still stands against Mordor, and last time I checked, dwarves still loved their gold."

"Well, that's a relief to hear," Kili chuckled. "I would hate to miss out on anything exciting." He then leaned over, reaching for a cloth bag on his nightstand. "Do you two have time for a game of stones? I seriously am going stir crazy here."

"Sure we do!" Jade grinned, standing up and pulling a small round table closer to the bed along with a comfy chair. Yet instead of sitting in it herself, she gestured for Fili to occupy the position. "Here, you play against him while I watch…I don't know the rules and don't want you to have to take the time to teach me."

Kili didn't seem to mind her reasonings and was quickly dumping out the pieces and setting them in place on the spread-out cloth, eager to play. Fili slowly moved to the chair, but sat there quite rigidly, eyeing both Jade and his brother suspiciously. When Kili had the game set, he reached forward and moved one of his pieces, not even caring if it was strategically sound. Jade sat there, watching with interest, and even asking a question or two, but not even five minutes had passed - and the game was far from over - when she let out a yawn and stretched her arms over her head theatrically.

"My, I'm suddenly really tired," she announced, leaping to her feet with more energy than she claimed to have. "I think today's events have exhausted me beyond what I realized. I best head off to bed now."

"Oh…well, let me escort you," Fili offered, remembering his manners and starting to rise.

"No! You're in the middle of a game!" she sounded aghast at the idea. "You stay and finish, I know my way back and I promise I'll be just fine. Thank you for a lovely dinner and I'm happy you're feeling better Kili." Jade quickly headed for the door, not giving Fili the opportunity to stop her, waving to them both as she left.

"It's your move," Kili stated, acting as if Jade's departure hadn't bothered him a bit. "But I'll warn you, I think I have you on the ropes, Nadad." He rubbed his hands together with gleeful anticipation.

"You have me more than that! You have me completely flummoxed!" Fili said in exasperation, throwing up his arms. "What gives, Kili?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at his brother in all innocence.

"What's going on with you and Jade…or _not_ going on…I'm thoroughly confused!" Fili huffed.

"And now, so am I," Kili admitted. "Maybe _you_ should be the one doing the explaining."

"All evening Jade practically ignored me, giving me nothing but polite smiles and half-hearted responses. That is until I suggested we leave the dining room, whereupon she lights up like one of Gandalf's fireworks when I agreed to take her to see _you!_ Yet, the next thing I know, she's all but running out of the room. This makes no sense!"

Kili stared at his brother for a moment, blinking a few times before speaking.

"You aren't imagining that she likes _me_ or something… _are you?"_ Kili questioned looking nearly dumbstruck at the idea. Yet when Fili turned a bit red and looked away, the dark-haired prince burst out laughing. Unfortunately, the motion caused him to fall back against his pillow as he gripped his leg, his sounds now a mixture of mirth and pain. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts too much!" Kili said between gasps.

"I'm not making you _do_ anything!" Fili countered, not pleased by his reaction at all. "So, knock it off and tell me what's so blasted funny!"

It took a few moments before Kili could compose himself, wincing as he sat up and looked his brother directly in the eye.

"Jade is not in any way, shape or form, interested in me," Kili assured him. "And I know this because she is fully aware that I'm in love with Tauriel."

"You…you _told_ her about Tauriel?" Fili was shocked, knowing that his little brother kept that a very closely guarded secret.

"Well, we were stuck in a life or death situation, and as she pointed out, there was a rather high chance she would never live to tell anyone," he said with a shrug. "Still, I trust her to keep my secret. But the bottom line is, Jade is not interested in me like that." He then got a thoughtful look and tapped his finger against his chin. "Though…I couldn't blame the lass if she did fancy me, I mean just look at me! She'd be crazy not to find me attractive."

This of course earned him a playful sock in the arm from Fili, the two brothers grinning at each other over his joke.

"So…seriously?" Fili asked. "She's not after you?"

"No." he stated emphatically. "And from the way she reacted every time your name was brought up, I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"You two talked about me?" Fili's voice full of hope and curiosity.

"Well, your name came up in conversation," Kili clarified. "But you should have seen the way she blushed when I offered her your hand in marriage for saving my life. I got the definite impression that this was something she might have liked to take me up on."

"Really?" This news had Fili sitting back and rubbing his short beard thoughtfully. "Yet, if that's the case - and I truly hope it is - why was she so standoffish tonight at dinner?" Again, he truly hoped it had nothing to do with his earlier actions in the hallway.

"Ummm, well, that might actually be _my_ fault," Kili admitted, sounding rather guilty. "You see, Jade kind of figured out that I had my nose bent out of shape because I felt like you two were spending too much time together. She's a smart dam, you know. Anyway…I'm willing to bet that she dragged you down here tonight, and then left, just so _you_ could visit with me…not because she didn't actually want to spend time with you."

"What? That's silly!" Fili objected. "I already told you that no one could ever come between us…and you believe me, right?"

"Of course I do," the younger brother nodded sheepishly. "At least I do _now_. But that's not what Jade saw, and well, it's rather sweet that she's going to all the trouble to make sure I don't feel left out. Even if it's not necessary anymore." He reached out and placed his hand on Fili's arm. "Don't worry, Nadad, I'll fix this. I promise."

"You will?" Fili looked hopeful. He hadn't liked the way Jade had seemed to be pushing him away at dinner, or how she had so quickly abandoned him either.

"First thing tomorrow," Kili assured him with a smile. "Oin says I can be moved to my own quarters in the morning, and I'll request that Jade come visit me. That's when I'll put all this nonsense to rest."

"Thanks, Kili," Fili smiled. "I owe you one."

"Nah, it was my fault she got the wrong idea in the first place," he said with a shake of his head. "In fact, that was the reason she followed me down to the lower chambers, because she saw me storm off in a huff when I stumbled upon the two of you together this morning. I was just being dumb, still she was sweet enough to take my feelings into consideration nonetheless. But I know how to fix it, trust me."

"I do… _most_ of the time," Fili hedged, giving Kili a wink. He then turned back to the game they were in the middle of. "Now, you think you have me on the ropes, do ya? Well, it's your move, little brother…show me what you've got."

And so, the match continued until they at last called it a draw and said goodnight, both brothers having had a wonderful time together.

* * *

 **Again, another brotherly talk that seems to have straightened out all the misunderstandings. Now if only Fili would be that forthcoming with Jade. ha ha.**

 **And wow, nice almost kiss there...too bad Mommy stepped in at the WRONG time.**

 **Now Jade is a hero, for saving prince Kili. Wonder how long her decision to be strong will last...not long if Fili starts using his lips for more than just pouting. ha ha.**

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 **No guest reviews this time.**


	15. Chapter 15

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 **Hello and happy Friday to you all. This is chapter 15, which means if I keep to my anticipated schedule, we are now halfway through the story. But I won't say that for sure, since with me, you never know what I will add on, add in, or just plain old add to the story, thus making it longer. ha ha.**

 **But at the moment, as it stands, you are halfway through.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Chapter 15**

 **~X~**

* * *

It was late morning when Jade rapped lightly on Kili's door, having received a message that the prince wished to see her. It was Dis who answered, giving her a welcoming smile as she entered.

"Kili said you'd be stopping in," Dis nodded, gesturing towards the bedroom. "He's right though there, and don't worry, he's quite decent. Oin even wants him up and walking around a bit later, not wanting his muscles to grow weak during his convalescing. I'm off to the kitchens to fetch him a treat." She rolled her eyes at the idea. "Apparently he never quite grew out of his sweet-tooth as a dwarfling. So, honey-cakes for breakfast it is." With that she headed out, leaving Jade to find her way to where Kili waited.

When she entered through the open door, she found the dark-haired prince wiggling around on his bed in an ill-fated attempt to reach something on the table beside him. When Jade saw him nearly tumble off onto the floor, she rushed to his aid.

"Let me get that for you," she insisted, helping him sit back against his headboard and handing him the oddly shaped stick he desired.

"Mahal bless you, lass," he sighed, taking the object and leaning forward just a bit as he used it to scratch the side of his foot. "I can't bend this leg without it hurting and I was about to go mad from this itch!"

"Glad I could be of service," Jade laughed, finding the look of pure joy on his face comical. "Yet, I hope that wasn't the only reason you asked me to come by."

"What?" Kili asked, apparently having found relief at last. "Oh, no…of course not. I wanted to talk to you about Fili."

"Fili? Why?" Jade's eyes instantly became concerned. "Is he all right?"

"Yes…and no," he admitted, looking somewhat troubled. "You see, I heard a rumor, one that concerns you two."

"A rumor? About what? We've not done anything objectionable!" Jade was instantly on the defense.

"No, nothing like that…the rumor is that you two are on the rocks, so to speak," he lied. "I overheard it from a few of the healers when they thought I was sleeping. It seems that everyone thought you and Fili were very distant with each other last night at dinner. Tongues wag like flags around here, and the scuttle is, you are going to turn down Fili's suit."

"WHAT?" Jade was shocked. "We can't have them thinking that! At least not yet!"

"I'm just telling you what I heard," he said with a helpless shrug. He knew he was lying through his teeth, for no one had said a word about them. Yet, Kili realized if he laid it on thick enough, her sense of duty would solve the problem for him. "Were you and Fili not talking enough last night? Not sitting close enough? Something had to make them think your affections were cooling off."

"Well…I did kind of…you know, tone it down a bit," she confessed, recalling her plan to build some walls in order to protect herself. Yet, in doing so, had she once more brought reproach on Fili? She hadn't meant to do _that!_

"It might be best if you kicked it back up a notch then," he suggested. "For the sake of the ruse, of course. Can't have those delegates thinking you two are breaking up so quickly, they might get the idea that Fili had offended you or something."

"I don't want to shame Fili!" she gasped. "Does he know about this? Do you think he's heard the rumors too?"

"Probably not," Kili summited. "He's been too busy with the delegation from Rohan all morning."

"Rohan?" Jade's interest was instantly piqued.

"Yes, King Thengel I believe," he replied. "He's in council with Thorin and Fili right now, or so Amad said."

Jade stood up and began pacing around the room in thought, looking rather agitated by the news. Kili watched her curiously, not quite sure what was upsetting her. At last she turned and stared at him.

"Do you think it would be possible for me to speak to him…or at least one of his warriors?" Jade questioned, looking hopeful.

"Whatever for?" Kili asked.

"I'm curious about my cousin, Brayden," she explained. "I haven't heard from him since he joined the Rohirim, and I thought maybe I could learn about his welfare."

"Oh…well, maybe," Kili shrugged. "But you would have to go through the proper channels and such, and I doubt they will be here long enough for that. Word is they'll be leaving by mid-afternoon, and Amad said that Thorin has ordered that no dams be seen by these men."

"What? Why?" Jade was confused.

"We dwarves take the safety of our females very seriously," he explained. "You may have grown up around the race of men, but until Smaug came and our people went into exile, not too many other races had ever laid eyes on a dwarrowdam. And while things are more lax now, it would appear that Thorin aims to revert back to some of the older ways of thinking…at least on that matter."

"That's silly! Does he think I would be in danger or something?" she huffed. "If these men are not to be trusted, why would he invite them to the mountain in the first place?"

"It's a dwarf thing," Kili once again tried to explain.

"Well, it's a foolish dwarf thing!" Jade grumbled, turning and heading for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To see the King of Rohan!" Jade called back, ignoring all his protests as she stormed out of his chambers.

.

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Meanwhile, Thorin, Fili, Balin and Dwalin were just finishing up a very productive meeting with the tall king of Rohan.

"I thank you once again for agreeing to see me on such short notice," Thengel said with a bow of his head. "I know you are inundated with delegates from other realms, but my wife is due to give birth in the next several weeks and I do not wish to be abroad at that time. Thus, as our business is now concluded, I must take my leave, though I would greatly love to stay and admire your amazing kingdom further."

"It is quite all right," Thorin told him with an understanding nod. "A king has many duties, but first and foremost he is a husband and a father. I do not begrudge you your desire to be back home at that time."

"Have you any children, King Thorin?" Thengel inquired.

"Nay, I have never married," he informed the man. "Yet, I regard my sister-sons as my heirs, having helped raise them as if they were my own." Here he gestured proudly to Fili, who sat up a bit straighter at the praise. "My other nephew would be here as well, but he was injured in a cave in the other day."

"No permanent damage I hope?" The Rohan king sounded honestly concerned.

"No, just a scratch," Thorin said, waving off his worry. "Mahal made the dwarves strong, we heal quickly."

"I am glad to hear it," Thengel said with a smile, then rose to his feet. "I thank you once again for your time, King Thorin, this meeting has been very beneficial, and I look forward to further dealings with you and your people."

"As do I," the dwarf king agreed, also standing and coming around the table in order to see his guest out. "Allow us to escort you to the main gates."

"That would be kind of you. For I fear without aid, we would not be able to find our way out," Thengel chuckled. "Your mountain is not only very impressive, but quite vast."

"Then come, we will see you safely back to your horses," Thorin agreed, signaling for the guards at the door to open them and step aside.

Fili and the others followed close behind, making sure that the king and his escort did not stray from the path they had chosen, not wishing for anyone to see too much of the realm…or happen up on any of their females. Granted, back in the Blue Mountains they were not as strict over the old ways of doing things, and keeping their dams sequestered from prying eyes had mostly gone by the wayside. Yet, Fili could see Thorin's reasoning on this, and though he didn't think these men intended any harm, it was always better to be on your guard.

Unfortunately, not long into their trek towards the gates, all their well laid plans came crashing down around them, as none other than Jade herself appeared out of nowhere.

"Lord Thengel!" she cried, hurrying forward out of a side corridor, one that was apparently not guarded, for there was no one there to stop her. The four soldiers assigned to guard their king quickly stepped in front of him, offering protection, yet not drawing any weapons – feeling that doing so could be mistaken for an act of war. Even Dwalin and a few of his warriors stepped forward to block the approaching lass, knowing that Thorin had expressly wished to avoid this very situation.

"JADE!" Fili cried out, rushing towards her in an effort to make sure she was not accidently injured by mistake. "What are you doing?"

"I hoped to speak to the King of Rohan…if he will allow me," she begged, trying to pull away from Fili's grip on her arm, almost desperate in her attempt to speak to the man.

"I am not opposed to speaking with…the lass," Thengel spoke up, quite flabbergasted to actually be seeing one of the fabled dwarrowdams in person. "In fact, I would very much wish to hear what she has to say."

Thorin, who was already rubbing his forehead as if fighting off a headache raised his hand, signaling for the guards to step aside. The damage was done, no sense in making a scene by having the lass escorted out.

"King Thengel, may I introduce the Lady Jade, Prince Fili's consort and possible intended," Thorin said, gesturing to the lass in question.

"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Jade," Thengel stated, bowing deeply, yet unable to take his eyes off her. He had heard outrageous rumors surrounding female dwarves, many of them being dispelled at the sight of the lovely, beardless lass in front of him. He would now be able to state for certain that there were such things as female dwarves…and the race did not spring out of the rocks like legends of old said. Yet, before he could inquire as to what the pretty little dam wanted, there came another feminine shout, followed by a second dwarrowdam hurrying towards them.

"Jade! Where are you?" It was Dis, who had apparently come looking for the errant lass.

"Why do I even bother making edicts if no one listens to them?" Thorin grumbled quietly as he shook his head in frustration. When the lord of Rohan turned a questioning eye to the dwarf king, he once again provided introductions. "And this, King Thengel, is my sister, Princess Dis, daughter of Durin and mother of Prince Fili and Prince Kili, my heirs."

"It would seem, King Thorin, that the treasure of Erebor does not lie in mere gold and jewels, but in the beauty of your fair maids," he said, once more bowing deeply to the new dwarrowdam. And then, quite unexpectedly, he went down on one knee, allowing him to be closer in height to the younger lass who had petitioned to speak with him. "And how may I be of assistance to you, Lady Jade?"

"I do not mean to bother you, My Lord, but I have need of information concerning my cousin, who had left our home some time ago to join your ranks," she explained, offering a very fine curtsy to him in respect.

"Your cousin?" Now the king was even more shocked and confused, turning to look up at his captain questioningly. "I fear that we have no dwarves within the Éoherë, thus you must be mistaken."

"No, not mistaken, only very poor at explaining myself," she stated apologetically. "For you see, I was raised in a village between the Dunlands and the Gap of Rohan. And since my foster parents, who were of the race of men, have since passed, I have been left with a female cousin and her son Brayden as my only family, adoptive though they may be. Might you recall the name, and perhaps give me some information about him?"

"Your tale is a fascinating one, to be sure, Lady Jade, and one I would dearly love to hear more about," he told her kindly. "Yet, I fear I am not familiar with every warrior, and there a hundred and twenty such men in each Eored, of which we have many." Once again he turned to his captain. "Falsted, do you recognize that name?"

"I do not, My Lord, yet it is not inconceivable, for we have had many new recruits from neighboring villages over the past several years," he informed his king.

"I am sorry we are unable to confirm the whereabouts of your cousin, Lady," Thengel told her sadly. "Still, I would be more than happy to make a thorough search and relay a message to him, if it be your wish."

"I would not want to burden a man of your status with such an insignificant task, My Lord," Jade insisted. "Yet, if you do happen to hear of my cousin, I would count it a kindness if you let him know I am living here in Erebor and would wish to hear from him. Otherwise I will begin to fear he might have dropped off the face of Middle Earth."

"It would be my honor to see your message delivered," Thengel smiled, placing his hand over his heart and inclining his head. "For if I were this cousin of yours, I would indeed be anxious to know of your whereabouts." He then stood and looked over at Thorin, who continued to appear less than pleased by all this. "With your permission, of course, King Thorin."

"Yes, by all means," he nodded, still not happy but at least understanding why Jade had broken protocol and showed herself to the visiting men. He didn't distrust the king of Rohan, and perhaps no harm would come from him seeing a couple dwarrowdams…even if they were two of the most prominent in Erebor at the moment. "And I thank you for your generous offer to my nephew's consort."

"We are allies, are we not?" Thengel grinned. "Consider this our first diplomatic endeavor." And with one final bow to both Jade and Dis, he continued on his way, being escorted out of the mountain and on his way.

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Once everyone had left, Jade turned and looked at Fili, who had chosen to remain behind.

"Am I in a lot of trouble?" she asked, cringing a bit at the idea.

"Hard to say," Fili admitted, knowing that Thorin wasn't pleased, but at least he hadn't yelled. Still that could have only been because the Rohan king was there, and it wouldn't have looked good if he had. "Did no one tell you that Thorin had ordered that these halls be cleared during his visit?"

"Well, yes," she confessed, looking down at her hands that were now wringing together. "Kili might have said something to that effect."

"And that's what had me running after you," Dis explained. "He was attempting to hobble to the door when I returned with his breakfast, and he told me where you had gone."

"Is he all right?" Jade was now more concerned over Kili's injury than herself.

"I put him back in bed and ordered him to stay there," Dis assured her, yet a sly grin graced her lips at the thought. "Yet, knowing him, he probably obeyed me just as well as _you_ did my brother. Still, I think no real harm was done, and Lord Thengel appeared to be very cordial. You needn't worry about being reprimanded."

"I didn't mean to cause trouble…I just dearly wanted to know what has become of my cousin, and this seemed the only opportunity I might get to find out," Jade explained. She then turned to Fili, trying to gauge his opinion on her willfulness. "Have I shamed you in any way by my actions?"

"Shamed me?" Fili laughed. "If anything, when this gets around, I'll be the envy of Erebor. Dwarves value strong and courageous dams, and you being willing to approach a visiting king, and a _man_ no less, well, I will be congratulated for days, if not weeks because of it."

Jade gave a sigh of relief, having been worried that she might have inadvertently caused more negative gossip over what she had done. And while she still meant to make up for her behavior the previous night at dinner, the last thing she wanted to do was heap more shame on Fili in the process.

"Now, come," Dis insisted. "I think it best we head back to Kili's room and let him see that you are all good and well. I know he won't rest a bit until he is assured you didn't get your head bit off by Thorin."

"Uncle wouldn't dare!" Fili said firmly. "It's _my_ duty to see to Jade's protection, and that includes keeping her safe from even the king."

"If King Thorin wishes to punish me for my disobedience, I will humbly accept whatever I have coming to me," Jade objected. "I will not have you at odds with your uncle over _my_ foolish disobedience." Yet she looked up at him with admiration in her eyes. "Still, it is very kind of you to offer your protection, Fili. I thank you very kindly."

"It is my pleasure, My Lady," he grinned. "Might I have the privilege of escorting you back to my brother's room? I don't believe my presence is needed anywhere else at the moment and I would enjoy being in your company…if it be your wish." Here Fili held his breath, still worried that she might be acting a bit cool towards him, as she had the previous night. He had no way of knowing if Kili had taken care of the issue, as he has promised to do.

"Oh…yes," she nodded. "I would like that very much."

Her enthusiasm caused Fili to grin widely, heaving a sigh as it would appear things were back to normal. Well…as normal as they could be while conducting a false courtship and all.

"Well, I can tell when _I'm_ not needed," Dis chuckled, loving the way the two youngsters seemed to have suddenly forgotten she was even there. And as a mother, she was beginning to notice things that others might not…specifically the glow of affection between her eldest son and her cherished maid. Could there possibly be something more than a ruse building between them?

Dis found she certainly hoped so.

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Kili had indeed been relieved to learn that things had not gone ill due to Jade's impetuous behavior, and other than a raised eyebrow and a scolding look at dinner that evening, Thorin never said another word about it.

"That means he's impressed with you…as am I," Fili whispered in her ear, making her blush over his nearness as much as his words. "Even Dwalin said your actions took nerves of steel, and he does not readily pass out compliments."

"Just as long as you are not upset with me, Fili," she told him, reaching out and placing her hand over his where it sat on the table. "I have already done enough to ruin your reputation."

"Never," he assured her, bringing her hand up to his lips and giving it a gentle kiss. "And I must say, I'm very pleased to see you more lively and talkative this evening. Last night I feared I might have offended you in some way."

"Oh, no! Not at all…I was simply overly tired from all the excitement," she explained, though she knew it was a lie. Her plan to keep Fili at a distance had not worked, for she had dreamed about him that night despite her attempts to push him from her mind. Thus, all she had accomplished was making them the talk of Erebor, with wild rumors circulating that their time as a couple was coming to an end. And while Jade realized at some point it must…she knew it was far too soon for this to happen. "I enjoy your company very much, and you have been completely chivalrous the entire time."

This pleased Fili greatly, and he made a mental note to thank his brother for whatever it was he had said to her that morning. For it obviously worked! Thus, Fili sat back, prepared to enjoy a lovely evening with an even more lovely dam.

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The next few days passed quickly, with Kili progressing to recovery. He still had to use a crutch, and Oin insisted that he try and take it easy, so the three of them spent a lot of time in the comfortable chamber set aside for meetings in the royal wing. Fili was happy to not only have his brother on hand, but the way Jade talked and responded to his questions pleased him to no end. Thing felt as if they were at last going the way he wanted, even if he still had no solid idea how he truly felt about the dam. All he knew at the moment was that he hadn't ever felt this way before, and he wanted it to continue.

One afternoon, Fili convinced Jade to bring the book Lord Elrond had given her about dwarves, wishing to see for himself what the elves believed about their race. Thankfully, the book was written in Western, so Jade didn't have to translate from Sindarin. Yet, only a few minutes into letting Fili and Kili inspect the book, Jade was ready to snatch it back and never let them see it again.

"The elves believe that dwarf women actually grow beards?" Fili laughed, nearly dropping the book in the process. "Where did they ever get that crazy idea?"

"Oh, can you just imagine Amad with a beard as long and full as Balin's?" Kili snorted, also finding the whole idea more than amusing.

"You know," Jade mused, her brows furrowing together. "That part always did have me worried. Until I arrived in Ered Luin, and saw that none of the dams there had facial hair, I kept waiting to see if _I_ would sprout one overnight."

"And listen to this!" Fili roared, holding the book up as he pointed to a specific page. "It says that feeding meat to a male dwarf tends to cause them to grow violent and uncivilized!"

"So _that's_ why they only gave us greens that first night in Rivendell!" Kili deduced. "They thought by doing so we would be _less_ rowdy? Well that certainly backfired on them, now didn't it?"

"That's enough!" Jade huffed, reaching to take the book back. "You've had your fun, now give it."

"Oh no, this is far too interesting," Fili laughed, holding the book up over his head and away from Jade. This didn't stop Kili from reaching up and taking it from him though, still eager to read more about what elves thought of dwarves.

"I will not have you making fun of my book!" Jade insisted, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the two brothers sternly.

"I'm sorry," Fili told her, and in truth he meant it. "I know it's something you treasure, so I'll stop. Honest." He took her by the hand and lead her over to the sofa, insisting that she take a seat next to him. "Yet, like I said, if there's anything you might want to know about the Khuzad, wouldn't it be best to go to the source? So, ask…anything you want to know. Anything at all."

Jade _did_ have a million questions, but when she looked directly into Fili's blue eyes, not one of them seemed important. Yet, knowing that he was waiting for a response, her mind scrambled for a question… _any question_.

"Um…why…why has your uncle never married?" she blurted out at last, feeling rather foolish once the words were spoken, but there was no taking them back.

"Thorin?" Fili asked, not at all expecting such a question. "Well…I guess he just never had the time or the desire to look for a wife. I know many have attempted to attract his attention in the past, but none did. He was betrothed to a lass once, the daughter of Lord Baldar of the Grey Mountains, but I think I already mentioned that. However, her father sent a message dissolving the agreement before Smaug attacked, and no one ever found out why. Not that uncle was upset about it, for he had never even met the lass. Still, I think it worries him a bit, fearing it might have somehow been because of something he did, especially when Lord Baldar will be visiting the mountain soon to renew ties."

"Does Thorin fear that he will also wish to renew the betrothal?" Jade questioned.

"I doubt it…I mean if the lass has not wed by now, she probably doesn't wish to," he deduced. "Even though females only make up a third of our population, some actually don't wish to marry, preferring to be craft-wed instead."

"Craft-wed?" Jade asked. "What's that mean?"

"Its what we call those who have no interest in taking on a mate," Fili explained. "They devote their lives and focus on their craft and not the seeking of a husband or wife. Bifur is what you would consider craft-wed, as is Balin…and maybe even Dwalin, though he's never said so for sure. Then there are those of us who still hold out hope that we might indeed find a match." He left the words unspoken that _he_ was one of those who wished to one day find a bride, but he was pretty sure she understood his meaning.

"Oh…that's very interesting," Jade nodded, finding that she had truly learned something, and something very important too. She could choose to never marry, to remain as she was. And given the fact that she felt she had little to no chance in having the one dwarf in all Middle Earth that she found appealing…that might not be such a bad idea. For while Jade had always wanted a husband and a family, she was not about to marry for anything less than true love. No, she had seen far too many men and women in her former village who had settled – be it out of desperation or simply the need for security and companionship – and then lived to regret their decision. No, for Jade it would be love, or nothing at all!

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Meanwhile, Kili had been fully ignoring his brother and Jade, opting to scour the book about dwarves, hoping to find out what ideas Tauriel might have on the subject of his race. The fact that elves believed that their lasses had beards, or that meat was something that set them off, had been amusing, but soon he found things written in there that didn't set well with him at all.

 _Dwarves are incapable of marrying outside their race._ The book stated. _Having been made solely by Mahal they cleave to their own kind and do not engage in interspecies mating._

"Well that's a load of hogwash!" Kili mumbled quietly to himself. Was this what Tauriel believed as well? Could _this_ be why she never chose to contact him? Did she imagine that nothing could ever come of a relationship between them? If so, he would need to set her straight on that subject! He knew of several dwarves in the past who had married daughters of men and had produced children. Why couldn't they do the same with elves? Just because it had never been done before did not mean it was impossible…right?

Still, when would he get the chance to inform her of this? She had not returned to Erebor, and Kili was certain that he was not welcome in Thranduil's halls. Yet it ate away at him to think that his lovely elleth might believe there was no hope for the two of them…assuming she thought of him at all.

This was beyond frustrating! And Kili didn't like it one little bit.

* * *

 **Yes, I think that book needs to be revised! It is very much out of date. ha ha.**

 **And look at Jade, getting all defiant and going to see the king of Rohan like that...against orders even.**

 **I think Dis is catching on!**

 **Oh great, now Jade is thinking being craft-wed sounds like her only hope. I bet Fili can change her mind though. ha ha.**

 **Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews. I enjoy each and every one of them.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

 **Emrfangirl:** Oh yes, Dis will be kicking herself for sure if she finds out what she interupted. ha ha. And I'm glad you are enjoying Kili in the story. I never have had the desire to write a full on Kili story, but I sure love giving him the role of Best Supporting Actor in a Fili tale. ha ha. He is rather adorable...but no, Jade only has brotherly feelings for him. ha ha. Thanks.

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Dumb Durin's on the horizon...trust me. And now that I am so close to being done, the chapters should be coming more quickly. As you can see by this posting. ha ha. Thanks.


	16. Chapter 16

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 **Chapter 16**

 **~X~**

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Several days after leaving Erebor, King Thengel and his returning men were intercepted by an Eored of Rohan, riding hard in the direction of Erebor. This unnerved the Horse Lord, for he could only assume this meant there was trouble in his realm. Yet, when the captain, a man named Haffa, delivered his urgent message, Thengel was elated.

"A SON?" he gasped, a proud smile gracing his lips. "Yet, my wife was not due for several weeks still. Are they both well?"

"Very much so, my lord," Haffa assured him. "I am told it was quite a shock to the queen as well, yet they do say babies have no sense of time and come when they wish. Still, you have a fine healthy son, and Lady Morwen is doing quite well. We came to alert you in hopes of you returning all the sooner."

"I thank you for your efforts, and I will indeed be hastening our pace in order to see my new son and heir all the sooner," Thengel assured them, all prepared to signal his men to ride once more. Yet, he was halted by his captain clearing his throat, getting his king's attention. "Yes, Falsted?"

"I was thinking, My Lord," he spoke up. "Perhaps those in _this_ Eored might know of the Lady Jade's cousin," Falsted suggested, gesturing to the new group of riders assembled in front of him.

"Ah, yes, thank you for reminding me," the king nodded, turning back to Haffa. "Might there be a soldier in your ranks with the name of Brayden? A man who hails from a village between the Dunlands and the Gap of Rohan?"

"Yes, I have a soldier by that name," Haffa stated, looking perplexed by this inquiry. He quickly turned and called out the name, whereupon the man in question came riding forward.

"You have need of me, Captain Haffa?" the man asked, appearing uneasy about being singled out for an unknown reason. His eyes grew even wider when it was the king himself who chose to answer his question.

"I am led to believe that you have a cousin, that goes by the name of Lady Jade, is this correct?" Thengel asked.

"I…I _do_ have an adoptive cousin who is called Jade, though none of our family were high-born, My Lord, thus the title of _Lady_ confuses me," he stammered. "Is she in trouble or in any danger? For I have not had word of her in some time and was indeed becoming concerned."

"It is my privilege to inform you that she is indeed well, and currently living in Erebor," the king stated.

"EREBOR?" Brayden gasped. "How in Middle Earth did she end up there? My mother informed me that she journeyed to the Blue Mountains, but said nothing about a trip to Erebor!"

"She is a dwarrodam, is she not?" Thengel chuckled. "And many dwarves live in the Lonely Mountain…so why not her?" At his words, several within earshot began to murmur and whisper amongst themselves, obviously intrigued by the idea that female dwarves did indeed exist.

"Aye, My King…yet, well, to me she was always just my cousin, I can't say the fact that she is of another race hardly ever crossed my mind," Brayden admitted. "What is she doing in the dwarf kingdom, if I might ask."

"Apparently being courted," he informed the man. "For I was informed that she was consort to King Thorin's heir…Prince Fili."

"WHAT?" This news nearly had Brayden falling off his horse, something that was quite unheard of in the Rohirim. _"She is to be married?"_

"This is what I was told," Thengel nodded. "I take it you are shocked by this news?"

"Very much so, Your Majesty," Brayden nodded. "And the idea of her in a strange place, all alone, worries me greatly."

"Then I suggest you take a few weeks leave and go see for yourself that she is well and being taken care of," Thengel offered, turning to address his captain. "Falsted, you will be recognized by the king and his soldiers, thus I am sending you and a small contingent of men along with him. Not only will this aid in being granted an audience, but be safer for you all upon returning."

"Yes, My King," Falsted said with a bow of his head.

"Thus, I wish you success," Thengel told them, nodding to each in turn. "Yet, I have delayed long enough, and now wish to return to my wife and son. May we all be granted the swiftness of the Mearas," he said, speaking the common words of farewell for his people, before kicking his mount into action and calling for those around him to ride.

This left Falsted, Brayden, and seven others behind, watching as the riders disappeared over the next rise.

"It will be several days ride back to Erebor," Falsted said, turning his attention to the young soldier. "I would hope that during that time you might be willing to inform me as to how a beautiful dwarrowdam found herself being raised by men. I am willing to bet it is an interesting tale."

"I would be happy to relate our family history, Captain Falsted," Brayden nodded. "Just as long as you are willing to tell me all you can about my cousin's condition and living arrangements with the dwarves. I know she is of their kind, but to my knowledge, she was just as ignorant of their customs as I am. I would hate to think she is being taken advantage of in some way."

"That did not appear to be the case, though I met the lass only briefly," he surmised. "Still, I will leave the final say in your hands. Just please, do not cause a diplomatic issue with the King of Erebor…we just managed to form a friendly alliance with the dwarves, and I would hate to see it all undone by the actions of an outraged relative."

"I will do my best," Brayden promised. "Yet, I will not stand by and see my cousin mistreated in any way or forced into some commitment she does not wish."

"Then let us be on our way, for the sooner we arrive, the sooner you can have your mind set at ease," Falsted suggested, raising his hand and signaling for the others to follow, the nine of them now heading back to the Lonely Mountain.

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Back in Erebor, Fili was quite delighted with the amount of time he had been able to spend in Jade's company, and her reactions to his attention. Gone was the silence and avoidance she had offered him days before, and in its place was smiles and laughter, as well as hours of pleasant conversation. Fili was more than pleased.

He was also happy that his brother's wound was healing nicely, allowing the dark-prince to be up and about, with the aid of a walking cane. Still, Oin assured them all that his gate would improve, and the limp would vanish altogether if he continued to exercise it. Kili was only too happy to do so, already quite fed up with lying around doing nothing.

Thus, several days later - as Fili and Jade enjoyed a lovely picnic at the base of the eastern slope of the mountain - they were not overly surprised to see Kili heading towards them, cane in hand. What _did_ have them perplexed was the group of five youngsters that were following behind him. Fili was a bit reluctant to have his private time with Jade disturbed, especially since he was still trying to work up the courage to ask her for a kiss, but he simply _had_ to know what his brother was up to.

"Has Uncle assigned you a few young guards to make sure you don't trip over your own feet and fall on your face, Naddith?" Fili called out jokingly.

"Ha ha, very funny," Kili replied sarcastically. "No, I was actually helping Dwalin with training today and he suggested I take these lads out and teach them some tracking skills."

"Tracking, eh?" Fili smiled, knowing that all the years he and his brother had spent hunting in the Blue Mountains had made them two of the best. "And what did you have in mind for these young warriors?" He took note that not only were there a few junior cadets among his group, but their cousin Gimli as well, the youngster having just started formal weapons training upon arriving in Erebor with his mother. Gloin had been proud as a peacock when Dwalin had deemed him ready to begin working with axes, his father's weapon of choice.

"I thought a bit of hide and seek would be a fun way to begin," Kili grinned, folding his hands over the top of his cane and leaning on it as he stared at the two of them. "And since I'm a bit limited with mobility…I thought perhaps you would like to help us out."

"Me?" Fili balked, looking over at Jade, who sat beside him on the blanket. "Can't you find someone else to take the lads on a merry chase?"

"Come on, Cousin Fili," Gimli begged, having been looking forward to trying out some of the basic skills Kili had already taught them. "We want to hunt something… _or someone_."

"You can't let them down, now can you, Nadad?" Kili said, attempting to guilt him into it. "And we can make a game out of it. We'll say that you are an orc…"

"HEY!" Fili protested, looking quite affronted.

"…who has captured the fair maid," he continued, gesturing to Jade. "And we'll see how long it takes these cadets to find you." He then looked up at the sky, gauging the time by the position of the sun. "We'll even give you a head start, but only if you get going right now."

"But we're having a picnic!" Fili continued to protest.

"Time's wasting," Kili warned him.

"Now wait…" Fili groused.

"Come on! We can't let them win, can we?" Jade squealed, leaping to her feet and dragging Fili up with her. "We have to hide!"

And while Fili had originally been dead-set against the idea, suddenly sneaking off and finding a secluded spot with Jade had its appeal. And since she was tugging at his arm, he really had no choice in the matter anyway…so he went. The two headed off into the small wooded area to their left, losing themselves among the trees and tall grass, stopping only long enough for Fili to attempt to cover their tracks…after all, they couldn't make things _too_ easy for the lads.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Jade questioned as she watched him brush away their footprints and break a few twigs and branches on a bush in the opposite direction they were going.

"Back in the Blue Mountains," he informed her, taking her hand as they waded into a small stream, heading up river a bit before exiting on the same side of the bank. "Kili and I would play games like this one all the time, seeing if we could track each other down and how quickly."

"And who won?" Jade pressed, giving a squeak as Fili lifted her into his arms and then proceeded to step lightly across several rocks, not letting his feet touch the ground or leave any tracks in his wake.

"At first, mostly me, but after a while, Kili got better at this sneaky stuff and then it usually ended in a tie," he confessed, setting her down as they made their way through the tall grass. When he found a nice spot, he indicated that they should sit down, effectively hiding themselves among the reeds. "This should offer them quite the chase."

"So now we just wait?" Jade questioned, raising on her knees just a bit to peek over the grass. "Shouldn't we keep moving?"

"Nope," Fili said with a shake of his head. "That would only alert them to our location faster. Sometimes it's best to hunker down, stay silent and wait for them to pass you by or give up. Besides, I was just about to ask you a question before Kili and the others so rudely interrupted us."

"Oh, and what was that?" she inquired, still a bit distracted by the idea that someone was currently hunting them.

"I wanted to know if…well, did I offend you the other day when I was walking you back from the healing halls?" he stammered, the idea having been eating at him for a while now.

"Offend me…how so?" Jade had managed to convince herself that it was all in her head, and that Fili certainly had _not_ meant to kiss her that day, but still, she continued to hold on to that small glimmer of hope.

"By…by being so bold as to assume you might actually have wanted me to…to…" But before he could get the final words out, there came the voice of one of the cadets, not too far away.

"I bet they exited the water here!" one shouted, causing both Fili and Jade to freeze. "Let's go this way!"

"They've found us!" Jade hissed, grabbing Fili by the shoulders and pushing his back against the ground, her body all but on top of his.

"Jade…" Fili whispered, his tone one of warning, but she wasn't listening.

"Shhhhh, stay quiet!" she ordered, covering his mouth with her hand as her eyes darted around them with excitement and fear. It was all a game, sure, but it still had both their hearts beating a bit faster at the anticipation of being found.

Fili was now in a great deal of discomfort, not only because a rather sharp rock was digging into his back, but because he had a beautiful dwarrowdam laying on top of him. And while Jade was apparently unaware of the effect this was having on him…Fili was not. _Mahal,_ she was literally going to kill him.

"They're going to find us!" Jade squeaked, her voice injected with panic, her body moving only slightly, but it was enough to cause Fili to let out a low moan around her fingers that covered his mouth. It was this sound that drew her eyes to his, and the heated look she saw there apparently caused her to consider their current position in a whole new way. "Oh…my," she gasped, quickly removing her hand and doing her best to disengage from the position she was in. Unfortunately, this only seemed to excite the prince beneath her more, and before she could rise off him, his arms came up and wound around her, holding her in place.

"Jade," Fili whispered, yet his voice was deep and husky, his pupils almost completely dilated by now. "You should truly remove yourself…and yet, I can't seem to let you." And it was the truth. He had found himself longing for this very thing for days now…weeks even, and yet he knew the dangers of allowing such intimate contact, especially when the prospect of them being discovered was so high.

"What…what should I do then?" came her question, her wide eyes searching his for direction.

"Kiss me?" he suggested, it being top of the list for his personal desires. Several others came a very close second, but he knew that they were completely out of the question.

Jade opened her mouth and then shut it, only to open it again as she fought for the correct words to respond. Yes, she wanted to comply, to lean down and do just as he asked, but on the other hand, she knew just what dangers surrounded this idea. They were only _pretending_ to court, acting out a play for everyone's benefit, but at this very moment it was just the two of them. There was no one to impress, no one watching, thus making such an action something they alone would share. Dare she? Would it ruin everything…or make it a hundred times better?

Unfortunately, Jade did not get the chance to find out, for right then a red-headed lad stomped into their small hiding place, giving a triumphant shout as he spotted them.

"Ah-Ha!" Gimli cried. "I found you! We win!" He then turned and called for his companions to join him, all of them racing over and surrounding the couple who were still laying on the ground. "We claim victory, rescuing the fair maid from the evil orc!" And leaning down, they assisted Jade to stand, leaving Fili staring up at her as if they were still completely alone.

"Nicely done, lads," Kili complimented, having arrived a few moments later, being hampered by his limp and use of the cane. Yet, when he saw the odd expressions worn by those they had sought as prey, he grew silent for a moment, as if trying to decide how to proceed. "All right, your lessons are over for today," he informed the cadets. "Why don't you escort the Lady Jade back to the mountain, while I assist my brother in fetching what's left of his picnic we interrupted. Now hurry, before I decide to make you all do the fetching and toting for us."

At this, the lads began to scurry off, keeping Jade protectively in the middle of the group, each one talking over themselves as they regaled her with the details of how they found them. Jade did her best to smile and nod along, pretending to be hearing every word, yet her mind was still on Fili's unexpected request, and the way he had been looking at her. And as she turned and glanced back, she could see that the expression he wore had not changed.

 _Now Jade was really confused!_

 _._

 _._

"So, Nadad," Kili began once Jade and the cadets were out of earshot. "Did we interrupt something, or is that just one of your many daggers you have hidden there in your trousers?"

Kili's words and joking tone snapped Fili out of his thoughts, causing him to glare up at him in disgust.

"Must you be so crude?" the blond prince grumbled, rising to his feet and dusting himself off. "And yes, as a matter of fact, you _did_ interrupt something…both times in fact! First during our picnic and then just now!"

"How was I to know you two would be smooching?" Kili huffed, gesturing to the section of grass that had been laid flat by their bodies.

"We weren't _kissing_! Or at least we never got the chance to start before _you_ and your persistent cadets found us! I thought you said you would aid in my quest to discover my feelings for Jade…not hinder it!" Fili accused, stomping off in the direction of where his abandoned picnic still lay.

"Hey! I got you two off alone for a bit, didn't I?" Kili called after him, limping along somewhat slower as he followed. "It's not my fault you did a horrible job at hiding your tracks and the lads found you too soon."

Fili stopped and bowed his head as he let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry," he stated, turning around and waiting for his brother to catch up. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just really frustrated right now, and you were the only one to take it out on."

"I know," Kili nodded, not taking offence. "And from the state I found you, I'm surprised you _didn't_ punch me."

"I considered it," Fili laughed. "But you're already injured, and we can't have you down with a broken jaw as well, can we?"

"Mahal no!" Kili gasped, his hand reaching up to grip at his chin. "Besides, it would be a true crime to damage a face as perfect as mine!"

"You're impossible, you know that, right?" Fili asked with a roll of his eyes.

"And you wouldn't want me any other way, would you?" Kili grinned, throwing his arm around Fili's shoulders. "Now come on, I'll help you carry in your picnic supplies, while you tell me everything that happened. And please…don't spare the details."

* * *

 **Well now, the game of hide and seek almost took a very romantic turn...too bad Gimli learned his lessons too well and found them. ha ha.**

 **So, Cousin Brayden is on his way to Erebor...what fun could that bring to the party?**

 **And those two really can't catch a break, can they? First Dis, then Kili and now Gimli. Who else would like to break up their chance for kisses? Thorin?**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** I will keep posting as quickly as I can! And sorry, dumb is hardwired into the Durins from birth. No fixing stupid. ha ha. As for Thorin's lost princess...well...we'll see... Thanks.


	17. Chapter 17

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 **Travelbug:**

Just in case you missed my first message in chapter 13 (I have no idea where you are in the story at this moment) I wanted you to know that I'm getting ALL your wonderful reviews, and I will respond to them in the next chapter I will be posting (#20)...you will just have to wait till then to catch up on my comments to your kind reviews. But know I am getting them and loving them! Keep them coming!

.

 **Chapter 17**

 **~X~**

* * *

 _Fili had requested a kiss!_ Jade was shocked beyond belief. Sure, she had dreamed of such a thing, but never had she dared to believe it might actually come about. As she was escorted back to the mountain by the five young lads, each one talking a mile a minute about how they had tracked her and Fili, Jade found she didn't hear a word. Fili wanted to kiss her? Why? There had been no one around to see, so it wasn't in order to perpetuate their ruse. Could he honestly have some kind of feelings for her? Was it possible?

"And then we discovered the tracks that led over the rocks, they were very faint, but I saw them right away," Gimli was saying, not even noticing that Jade was lost in her own mind.

Perhaps it was simply due to the fact that she had been lying rather scandalously on top of him, Jade thought to herself. She might not know much about dwarves in general, but Fili was still a male, and she had spent almost eighty years living among the men of her village, and she had seen how they reacted to their womenfolk. Males of nearly any species could easily be aroused by both sight and touch - her mother had told her that much at least. Was that what she had inadvertently done? Had she prompted the prince to request a kiss simply to alleviate some need she had caused in him by her actions. She hadn't meant to.

"Kili says that we are the best trackers in the group," Gimli droned on. "He even handpicked us for today's exercise out of all the cadets that Commander Dwalin was working with."

So, what did she do now? How could she ever face Fili again, having left his entreaty unanswered. Would he petition her for such a thing again, or would he now avoid all mention of their shocking conversation due to the fact that she had not given him an answer. _Yes,_ would have been what she should have said, Jade decided. In fact, if given the chance to do it over, she might have actually shouted her reply. She knew his lips were soft, for he had kissed her hand many times, but to experience such a thing on her own mouth…well, that was currently only the stuff of dreams, not reality. Oh, but if it only _could_ be! Jade honestly wished another chance might truly arise, and yet, she found that doubtful.

"Ah, there you are, lads," came the voice of Dwalin, standing at the entrance to the stables where they were currently passing. He looked around, not seeing who he expected, and raising an eye at Jade in their midst. "Did you leave Kili somewhere without his cane?"

"Oh, no, Commander Dwalin!" another lad spoke up, Jade having heard him called Dag. "Prince Kili remained behind while we escorted the Lady Jade back to the mountain. We rescued her, and she's our prize!"

"Is she now?" Dwalin asked, giving an uncharacteristic smirk as he eyed the lass questioningly.

"It was a game, Master Dwalin," Jade explained, blushing slightly at being called a prize. "Prince Kili suggested that Prince Fili and I lead the cadets on a merry chase, so they could practice their tracking skills. They succeeded in finding us and thus I was rescued from my pretend captor."

"Fili was an orc!" Gimli confirmed. "So, we saved her. Not that it looked like she needed our help, when we found them, she already had him on the ground and at her mercy. The Lady Jade is tough."

"Had the mangy orc pinned to the ground, did she?" Dwalin repeated, this time, both his eyebrows raising to his imaginary hairline, his expression morphing into a sly smirk. "Yes, I would say she _is_ very resourceful."

"I…I must be going now," Jade interrupted, not wanting to stand there a moment longer and be on the receiving end of any more knowing looks. Besides, weren't she and Fili _supposed_ to be courting? Still, the last thing she wanted was for anyone to imagine that she and the prince were acting immodestly. She wanted both of them to come out of this with their reputations intact. And turning on her heel, she marched away, not looking back once as the cadets continued to recount the lesson with Lord Dwalin. Still, she could feel his eyes on her back, not to mention the grin that was undoubtedly still plastered on his lips.

.

.

Fili and Kili too had at last returned to the mountain, the two brothers having talked the whole way.

"So…do you think Jade _would_ have kissed you if Gimli and the others hadn't found you when they did?" Kili questioned, feeling badly about how proficient his group of lads had been.

"I don't know," Fili admitted. "She looked more startled than anything when I suggested it, but she didn't automatically say no either."

"She is still new to our ways and customs, and maybe kissing is not done between non-married couples where she's from," Kili suggested.

"That has not been _my_ observation of men and their womenfolk," Fili snorted, recalling all the stolen kisses and other lascivious actions he had stumbled upon during his frequent trips to the many villages outside of Ered Luin. "From what I can tell, men have very little restraint, and quite a few women are not exactly opposed to offering up the goods before marriage."

"Do…do you think Jade has ever…you know… _done that?"_ Kili questioned, his eyes growing wide with shock.

"NO!" Fili barked, appalled that his little brother would even suggest such a thing. And yet, did he truly know for sure? "I mean…at least I don't think she has. I asked her once if she had any suitors, and she said no."

"Then I'm sure she never…" Kili stated firmly, though he was still unwilling to speak the words to describe the actions he meant.

"No, I'm sure she's never either," Fili agreed. "Yet…do you think she might have kissed me? I mean, if we hadn't been interrupted?"

"Fili, I have no idea," Kili moaned, now feeling quite uncomfortable with the turn this conversation was taking. "You're talking to a dwarf who's been pining for a lass who he may never see again, so how would _I_ know if a dam would or wouldn't want to kiss you?" He then got a goofy grin on his face. "I know _I_ wouldn't want to, but hey, that's just me."

"And if you tried, I would sock you in the nose!" Fili laughed, loving how his naddith could always lighten the mood with a joke.

"Your Highness!" came the call from in front of them, a guard hurrying in their direction. "Prince Fili, you are needed in the throne room, by order of King Thorin."

"Oh? For what reason?" Fili asked, giving his brother a worried look.

"A delegation from Rohan has just arrived seeking audience with the king," the dwarf explained. "You are requested to join him there in all haste."

"Rohan?" Fili's brows furrowed in confusion. "King Thengel was just here and left…why would he have returned?"

"It is not the king, but one of his captains and several men," he was informed. "I know no more. Now please hurry," the soldier urged.

"I'm coming too," Kili insisted, not wanting to be left out of things a second time where the Horse Lords were concerned. "Whatever it is…we will face it together, just like always."

Fili was certain it wasn't anything as dire as a declaration of war, but he still appreciated his brother's assistance and support. And so, with the dark-haired prince limping along, the three of them headed for the throne room, eager to see what all the fuss was about.

Fili and Kili entered through the side door of the throne room, finding Thorin in his usual seat, his raven-wing crown placed majestically on his head and staring at a group of men at the bottom of the dais. He did not appear angry, or upset, though as usual, there was no sign of joy in his expression either.

"You sent for me, My King," Fili asked, bowing at the waist with his hand over his heart in a sign of respect. While in private, they referred to him simply as Uncle, or Thorin, but when in official capacity they knew it was important to show the proper reverence…especially in front of guests.

"Yes," Thorin nodded, taking his eyes off the men and turning to look at Fili. "It would appear that these men, and this one in particular, have come to ascertain your worthiness."

"My…worthiness?" Fili stammered, quite perplexed by his uncle's words. "I don't understand."

"May I introduce Brayden, soldier of Rohan and member of the fourth Eorod of the Riddermark…and apparently a cousin to the Lady Jade, your intended," Thorin said by way of explanation.

Fili's mouth gaped a bit as he turned and stared at the young man standing a few paces in front of the others, currently eyeing the dwarf prince with a mixture of suspicion and awe. _This_ was Jade's cousin? She had spoken of him, and even broken protocol in order to question the King of Rohan about his whereabouts, but for some odd reason, Fili had never expected to meet the man!

Now he was in a pickle, for dwarfish custom demanded that he not only show this man deference as Jade's cousin, but as her only male relative, he must also entreat with him for the right to her hand in marriage. And since those very same delegates that had caught him on the floor in Jade's room were present and currently watching from the sidelines, he couldn't exactly act in any other manner. He could also tell that Thorin knew this, and he was giving his nephew a warning look, reminding him that the ruse was still in play.

However, Fili was becoming more and more unsure whether this was all for show…at least for him. And if this man was here to determine if he was worthy of Jade's hand, by Mahal's axe, he was going to prove he was.

Stepping forward, he now gave an equally polite bow to the man who was perhaps only a quarter of his own age, pasting on a smile that hid his nervousness.

"Master Brayden, it is indeed a great privilege to make your acquaintance. I would have come to you sooner, yet like my betrothed, we did not know of your whereabouts in order for me to petition you properly for consent. However, now that you are here, I wish to formally ask for your permission to court your cousin. I also look forward to getting to know her family better, for she has spoken of you and your mother many times and with great affection," he told the wide-eyed lad.

"I wish I could say the same about _you_ , Lord Prince," Brayden responded, doing his best to temper his suspicion with the proper amount of respect one afforded royalty. "Yet, I would prefer to hear from Jade's own lips that this _courtship_ is something _she_ willingly consents to, and that she is not simply being pressured into such a commitment."

At this, Fili visibly bristled. "You would suggest that I am _forcing_ Jade into such a thing…against her will? I am a Prince of Erebor and a direct descendant of the line of Durin, I would _never_ conduct myself in such a deplorable manner. I assure you, good sir, that your cousin is in full control and _her_ wishes alone are my main concern. As a dwarrowdam, she may call off our courtship at any time with no reprisal to herself or her reputation, despite the fact that I am a prince of the realm."

"Again, Your Highness, I am happy to be assured of this, yet, as I stated before, I would very much like to hear such things directly from Jade," Brayden insisted, doing his best to remain calm yet firm.

"If you will, Your Majesty," Captain Falsted spoke up, coming to stand beside Brayden as he addressed Thorin. "My Lord Thengel was hoping that the lad could see, and perhaps spend some time with, his cousin in order to ease his worries over her safety and wellbeing. Neither he, nor any of the Rohirrim, believe that the lass is in any way being mistreated, yet you must understand the concerns of a family member where a lovely dam such as the Lady Jade is concerned. Would you not also act in a such a manner, if you found your own sister in a similar situation?"

"I would indeed, and we take no offence to the insistence of the man," Thorin nodded. "In fact, I have already sent a messenger to request that Lady Jade join us. I will not deny her cousin the opportunity to see and speak with her. In fact, I invite him, and the rest of you, to remain in our halls for as long as it takes to satisfy his curiosity and concerns."

"That is very generous of you, King Thorin," Falsted said with a bow. "Very generous indeed."

It was then that Dwalin entered through another side door, holding it open as Jade stepped through, looking very confused and a bit afraid. Being summoned by the king was not something that usually ended well, but Thorin was impressed that she had conceded, and doing so under her own power as well. Yet, before Thorin could speak and offer her his assurance that she was not in any trouble, the anxious man at the bottom of the steps let out a cry of delight.

"JADE!" he yelled, lunging forward in excitement. He was, however, halted by the crossed swords of several of Thorin's guards, stopping him in his tracks.

"BRAYDEN?" the perplexed dwarrowdam responded, her eyes now wide with shock. "Is it truly you?" And before he could even get a word out in answer, she was flying down the steps, ducking under the guard's swords and throwing herself into his awaiting arms.

"Hello, Cousin!" Brayden laughed, lifting her up and spinning her around with little to no effort. "I guess that answers my question of if you still remember me."

"Remember you?" she scoffed, still unwilling to release him. "How could I forget such a brash and irritating lout such as yourself? It would be quite difficult to do after having put up with your teasing and torment over the past twenty years!"

"ME?" he balked, though the smile never left his face. "If I recall, _you_ were the wild one of the family…I simply did my best to keep up with you!"

"What are you doing here?" Jade asked, still unable to believe it was him.

"Looking for you, of course," he informed her, setting her back on her feet, though going down on one knee so that they were closer to eye level. "Imagine my shock when my King told me that you were here in Erebor…and engaged to a prince no less!" Here he let his eyes drift back to where Fili stood, the dwarf watching the familial exchange with a tinge of jealousy. "Care to explain how _this_ all came about, Cousin? For I assure you, I am all ears!"

At this, Thorin rose to his feet, drawing all eyes on him.

"Perhaps you two would care to speak in private, for I am certain you do not wish for such a reunion to continue in a public forum," he offered, more for the sake of keeping certain things quiet, but also for their comfort as well. "You may make use of my private office, just through that door, if it be your desire, Lady Jade. Once you two have had sufficient time to talk and explain matters, I would like to invite you and your cousin to join us for dinner in the main dining room. In the meantime, I will see that Captain Falsted and the others are given quarters and settled in. Take as long as you wish."

"I thank you very much, King Thorin," Jade told him with a curtsy. "Your generosity is greatly appreciated." And after giving Fili a quick look, one that brought a blush to her cheeks upon recalling their last conversation, she took hold of Brayden's hand and led him to the door that Thorin had indicated.

.

.

Once they were gone, Balin stepped forward, and playing the gracious host he offered to show the men of Rohan the way to their rooms. The others in the hall also dispersed, there no longer being anything of interest to hold them there. Finally, when the room was cleared, Fili, Kili, Thorin and Dwalin were free to speak.

"What do you think Jade will tell him?" Kili hissed, suddenly concerned about the cat being let out of the bag. "Will she lie to protect you, Fili…or will she tell him the truth?"

 _"The truth?"_ Dwalin questioned, looking from Thorin to Fili and then back again. "What does the lad mean by that?"

"Fili and Jade's courtship is…well, a fraud," Thorin admitted, having wanted to confide in his closest friend, but having been reluctant to involve him in their web of deceit. Balin had agreed that his brother not be told either, for the hardened warrior was far too forthright to deal well with deceit. "It was a ruse we crafted in order to protect their reputations when those irritating delegates discovered them in a, shall we say, rather _intimate_ position inside the lass' private chambers."

Dwalin's eyes grew wide, followed by instant anger, as he stared at Fili in disgust.

"You didn't! I thought you better than that, lad!" he growled, even daring to take a threatening step towards Fili.

"NO! I didn't! I swear!" the blond prince stated in his defense, holding up his hands as he leapt backwards, attempting to remain out of striking distance from the bald warrior. "It was all a misunderstanding, and a very innocent one at that."

"Fili is telling the truth," Thorin sighed, returning to his seat and looking as if another headache was coming on. "The Lady Jade was in no way dishonored, and yet fearing that the delegates would not see it that way, we concocted this ruse to protect all involved. Fili and Jade will pretend to court until they leave, then mutually break things off and part as friends. No harm, no foul."

"But…" Fili spoke up, suddenly feeling honor-bound to inform his uncle about the more recent developments in his plans. "I'm beginning to feel as if I do not wish to break things off."

"I hope you're not considering toying with the lass' affections, Fili! I thought your uncle and I taught you better!" Dwalin growled, his temper rising once more.

"He's not toying with her!" Kili spoke up, instantly coming to his brother's defense. "It's just…well, complicated."

"Is it now?" Thorin asked suspiciously. "And when did this new revelation come about?"

"Recently…or maybe not so recently?" Fili shrugged, not quite sure when his feelings for Jade had begun to change. "Perhaps I always felt something for her, but I'm more certain than ever that I would like this to continue. I can only hope she feels the same."

"Does your mother know about this?" Thorin pressed.

"No…other than Kili, no one knows," he then cringed just a bit. "Including Jade, it would seem."

"And why haven't you told her?" Dwalin demanded, having quite taken a liking to the lass, her feisty nature and quick mind already convincing the warrior that she would make a fine queen one day.

"I've tried!" Fili insisted. "Well…sort of. I mean, it's hard when she believes all my attention and actions are simply done to fool those around us. Other than locking us both in a room completely alone and stating my intentions, I don't know how to get my point across. And if I do _that_ , what if she says no? I would like to have at least a bit of hope that she returns my affections, before I open myself up for rejection and ridicule."

"Oh, trust me, she definitely feels _something_ for you, Nadad," Kili informed him. "But to what extent, I'm afraid you have to find that out yourself."

"So…you wish to continue your courtship, only doing so for real now, is that it?" Thorin clarified.

"Yes, Uncle," Fili nodded firmly.

Thorin was silent for a while, with Fili holding his breath in anticipation of what his king might say. At last, the dark-haired monarch sighed.

"Well, I have no objections with the lass," here he stopped, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Other than her penchant for getting into troubling situations and not following my express orders. Still, she has spunk and appears genuinely kind at heart, and if my sister recommends her – with or without kin to stand behind her – I will not hinder you. I want both you and Kili to be happy, and if she might be the one to offer you such a thing…then so be it."

"Thank you!" Fili beamed, throwing his arms around his uncle and giving him a very undignified hug.

"Mind yourself, Nephew!" Thorin barked, forcing the enthusiastic dwarf off him, though his tone held no malice. "Here, in this room, I am your king, not your uncle."

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Fili nodded, stepping back and pasting on a sober look. "Forgive me, My King." He then gave Thorin a wink. "I will simply have to wait until later to officially show my gratitude."

"I can hardly wait," Thorin said with a dramatic roll of his eyes, noting that both Kili and Dwalin were fighting back laughter. "Now, shall we retire and prepare for dinner? It would seem we'll be hosting some very important guests…one in particular that _you_ will be required to impress, Prince Fili."

"I will do my very best," the blond dwarf stated, giving a worried glance towards the closed door where Jade and her cousin had disappeared. And he only hoped his best would be good enough.

* * *

 **I would say locking them in a room alone together sounds like a fine idea...but look where that got them last time!**

 **And Brayden does not seem to keen on Fili courting his cousin. Let's hope she can talk some sense into him about that.**

 **So, now Thorin - and Dwalin - know the truth. Fili DOES like Jade in a courting kind of way. Good thing Dwalin didn't rip his head off over his misconstrued ideas. ha ha.**

 **Thanks**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** So you think Thorin needs a shot at interrupting them? Ok, I think I can handle that. ha ha. But first, let's see if we can solve this Brayden issue first. ha ha. Thanks.


	18. Chapter 18

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 **Chapter 18**

 **~X~**

* * *

Jade had been very grateful for King Thorin's offer of his office, and the privacy this afforded her and Brayden. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to explain all this, but she knew she would have to do some fast talking to convince her cousin she was in full possession of her right mind. Once they had both taken a seat on the small divan, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm sure you're very confused by all this, and to be perfectly honest, I was as well…but please be assured that this is being done with my _full_ consent," she told him, doing her best to look confident.

"But how did this come about…and how did you end up in Erebor of all places?" Brayden demanded. "The last letter I received from mother said you had gone to the Blue Mountains, but after that neither she, nor I have heard anything. Why did you leave Jade? Was our little village no longer enough for you?"

"I promise that I did write, to both you and your mother, yet it would appear that my letters were never received," she told him in an apologetic tone. "As for your other question…well, after you left for Rohan, and your mother remarried, I no longer felt needed, so I decided it was time to seek my own kind."

"Oh, Jade!" Brayden moaned, reaching out and engulfing her in his arms as he rocked her back and forth. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea. Forgive me for not thinking of your feelings in the matter. If I had known how you felt, I would have…" Here he stopped, not quite knowing what he had planned on saying.

"You would have what? Taken me with you? Not gone? That's foolishness," she chided him, extracting herself from his embrace with a shake of her head. "You have your own life, dear cousin. I would not have expected you to drop everything and come running, nor would I have wanted you to. It was time I struck out on my own anyway, and discovered my dwarven roots, which is what I did. I first went to Ered Luin, since it was the closest dwarf kingdom I knew of, and that's where I met the Lady Dis, King Thorin's sister…and Prince Fili's mother."

"Yes… _Prince Fili_ …your intended," Brayden repeated, not sounding very happy about it.

"She took me under her wing, taught me so much about my heritage, and has treated me with such kindness that I will forever be in her debt." Jade couldn't help but let her respect and awe for the dam shine through in her words and tone.

"Not _so_ indebted, I hope, that you feel obligated to marry her son," he demanded.

"Of course not!" Jade huffed. "What do you take me for, a simpleton? In fact, until I came to Erebor, I had never laid eyes on either of her sons, for Fili has a younger brother as well, Prince Kili."

"Was he the dark-haired dwarf who was standing next to your… _betrothed_?" Brayden asked, recalling the handsome looking dwarrow who appeared to be limping and using a cane.

"Yes, that was him," Jade nodded. "He was recently injured in a rock fall," she related, choosing not to mention that she too had been caught in the same cave in. "But they say he will make a full recovery."

"Well…I'm glad of that," the man admitted, for though he was suspicious of the dwarves' motives where his cousin was concerned, he truly did not wish them ill.

"Anyway, when Erebor was reclaimed from the dragon, Smaug, and the orcs that wished to take over were defeated – a battle which Fili and his family fought in – Dis chose to journey back to her homeland, to the Lonely Mountain."

"I heard many tales of the Battle of Five Armies," Brayden said with a hint of awe in his voice. "It took a great deal of bravery, and skill, to come through such a war alive."

"Yes, but none of them were left untouched by scars – both of the physical nature, as well as of the mind." Even if Fili had not told her such things outright, she knew them to be true. "Yet, retake the mountain they did, and made the men of Dale and the elves of Mirkwood their allies in the process. That's what brought your king to Erebor, was it not, the hope of friendly relations with the dwarves?"

"Yes, and it would appear that he was successful," Brayden smiled. "Yet, regardless of that, if you are not happy here, or in any way being coerced into this marriage, I will take you away this minute, regardless of what it might do to diplomatic relations!"

"Oh, Brayden, you haven't changed one bit," Jade said with a wistful smile. "Still the young, hot-headed man I watched grow from a little lad."

"Don't you go reminding me again that you once changed my nappies," he huffed. "We appear to be of similar age you know, and it just feels wrong that you're literally three times my senior. Still, that won't stop me from tossing you over my shoulder and storming out of here if you don't convince me of your willingness to stay."

"Then rest assured, Cousin, that I do indeed wish to stay," she stated in all seriousness. "I am happy here, everyone treats me very well, and of my own free will I have chosen to allow Prince Fili to court me. Yet, that does not mean I will eventually say yes, for that is to be decided by me, and me alone, once we have had more time to get to know each other. He has only presented me with one of the customary courting gifts, and there are still two to go. If I choose to take him as my husband, I will accept the third…but until then, I can break off our courtship at any time."

"Well…that _is_ good to hear," he nodded, at last feeling his worry ease a bit. "Just make sure that you don't let him pressure you into anything, him being royalty and all. I'm sure he's not had much experience with people telling him no."

"You do him wrong to think so little of him, Brayden," Jade scolded. "Fili, as well as the rest of his family, lived in exile for many years, forced to survive on their wits, skills, and hard work. None of them are spoiled in any way, and they are more than aware of what it means to be denied simple things like food, shelter, and dignity. Fili would never discount my wishes, nor would he press his advantage. You have my word on that."

"Fine, I will cease thinking ill of him…for now," Brayden conceded. "But that does not mean I approve of him either. He will need to prove his worth to me before I will hand you over willingly."

 _"Hand me over?"_ Jade scoffed. "You make it sound like I'm a trinket, and that you somehow have ownership of me!"

"Well, I _am_ your closest male relative, and it's my duty to see that you are cared for, is it not?" he demanded.

"Yes…and no," she debated. "Yes, you are my closest male relative, but no, I don't need you to _take care_ of me. I can certainly take care of myself! In fact, who was it that protected _you_ from that bear? Or pulled _you_ out of the river?"

"I was only a child at the time, not the grown man I am now!" he huffed. "And by all rights, it is now my responsibility to look after you, in order to pay you back for what you did for me in the past. Thus, I will remain in Erebor and observe the actions of this prince to ascertain whether he is worthy of such a treasure as you."

"All right. But I'm only saying yes to this because I've missed you so much and look forward to catching up," Jade told him, a wide grin spreading over her face. "Now, if we are in agreement, how about we rejoin the others and see about getting you set up with a place to rest and freshen up. I am willing to bet you will be dining at the king's table tonight, and we can't have you showing up looking like a scruffy lad from the Dunlands."

"Bite your tongue, woman!" Brayden balked. "I am a Rider of Rohan now, and a skilled warrior in my own right. I assure you, I will _not_ be embarrassing you, or anyone else."

"Good, and let's keep it that way," she smiled, standing up and taking his hand as he rose as well. "Now come, I can't wait to show you off." And out they went, ready to face the eyes of Erebor.

.

.

After Jade and her cousin had emerged from Thorin's study the two of them headed off to see to Brayden's guest quarters, Fili spent the rest of the day thinking about what Thorin, Kili and Dwalin had said about his efforts to truly court Jade. He needed to find out if everything she had done and said thus far had all been part of their ruse, or if there was some nugget of truth amongst it all. He would like to think he had done much to sway her affections towards him, but for all Fili knew, he might be driving her away instead. Was he coming on too strong…not strong enough…or chipping away at the wrong stone completely? What was Jade thinking? What did _she_ want? Fili could only hope the answer was _him._

Taking extra time to prepare for dinner, he arrived early, wanting to make a good impression on her cousin, not wishing to get on his bad side in any way. Until now he only had to worry about impressing Jade, however, with her male cousin in the picture, Fili knew he had to up his game. He could feel both Thorin and Dwalin's eyes on him, watching and assessing his every move now that they were keenly aware of his new feelings for Jade. Fili only hoped he didn't embarrass himself in front of everyone.

When Jade and Brayden arrived, followed by Falsted and the other men who had rode with them. Each were given a place of honor and served a veritable feast of food and drink. Thorin and Dis took up the duty of conversing with Falsted, him being the highest-ranking member of the party, leaving Fili to see that Brayden was taken care of – as was _his_ duty.

"Would you care for more ale, Sir Brayden?" Fili questioned, holding out the pitcher for the third time since the man had sat down.

"No, thank you, Your Highness," he declined politely. "Though very delicious, I fear that dwarven ale is far stronger than I'm used to, and I do not wish to take leave of my faculties. Besides, I have not seen my cousin in quite a while, and I wish to remain alert as long as possible to hear of her latest adventures here in Erebor."

"You may speak of such adventures later, Master Brayden," Kili spoke up, leaning forward as he eyed them both with a wide grin. "What _we_ wish to hear about are stories of Jade from _before_ she came to Erebor. What was she like as a child? Was she a quiet lass, or prone to mischief?"

"KILI!" Jade huffed, giving him a scolding glare. "I hardly think that is proper dinner conversation, and none of your business besides!"

"Come now, Cousin," Brayden told her with a laugh. "You aren't ashamed of your past, are you? Though I can think of a few very entertaining tales I could share with your friends concerning your, shall we say, _misadventures."_

"You wouldn't dare!" she seethed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Oh, but I would," he countered, her glower not fazing him a bit.

"Excellent! Then do tell us!" Kili prompted, rubbing his hands together in glee. "We would love to hear anything you have to say."

"I must protest!" Jade squawked, not liking how they were ganging up on her.

"As do I," Fili intervened, not at all pleased with how distressed Jade appeared over this. And while he would have dearly loved to hear such tales of her past, he would not see her in any way put upon. "If Jade does not wish for such tales to be told, then I must insist this conversation end here and now. It is _her_ past, and only she has the right to share them."

Fili had meant every word, and even though this seemed to upset Kili, it appeared to have impressed Brayden.

"I commend you on your defense of my little cousin," he told the prince with a polite nod of acknowledgment. "Yet, I assure you, the only reason Jade is protesting is due to her modesty, not because the stories I would tell were embarrassing. She has always been reticent to have her fine deeds made public, but I assure you, she has nothing to be self-conscious about. Nor would I ever attempt to humiliate my cousin in any way."

"I'm happy to hear that," Fili admitted, liking this man more and more as the dinner went on. "Still…I must insist that any stories being told be done with Jade's full permission."

"Please Jade!" Kili begged, giving her his best puppy dog look. "It would make my injured leg feel so much better."

"That is _not_ going to work on me!" Jade insisted, trying to hide her little grin at the dark-haired prince's pleadings. Yet, in the end, she was unable to resist, and with a huff, she waved her hand in Brayden's direction, giving him permission to speak. "Fine…go ahead, but don't you dare attempt to make things out to be more than they were, understand?"

"I am a warrior of Rohan, and we only speak the truth!" Brayden stated, doing his best to act insulted by her command. "Thus, I will not add, or leave out, a single detail."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Jade moaned.

"That's what I was _hoping_ for," Kili grinned, once more leaning forward, not wanting to miss a word.

"Now, I fear that I am unable to tell you much of how my cousin was as a child, seeing that she was already mostly grown by the time I was born," Brayden began. "Still, I will tell you of the time that she saved not only me, but several other children from our village from a vicious, man-eating bear that was determined to make a meal of us all." At that, Brayden launched into a fantastic tale of how Jade had bravely stood between a bear five times her size, and a group of terrified children. Risking her own life in order to spare them a horrible death. "Thankfully, a group of hunters came to our rescue before there was any bloodshed, but to this day, me and many of those in our village owe our lives to Jade and her bravery."

"I wasn't brave," she protested, her cheeks turning pink from such praise. "I was just as terrified as the rest of you. And the bear was not as big as you said."

"I don't believe the size of the predator matters in this case," Fili insisted, gazing at Jade with great admiration. "The fact that you placed yourself in danger in the protection of others is the true sign of courage. You are to be commended."

"The whole village did just that, singing her praises and celebrating her bravery," Brayden said with pride. "They even gifted her the bear's pelt as a reward for her heroism. I believe it held a place of honor in front of the family fireplace for many years after that." He turned to Jade with a questioning look. "What ever became of it?"

"I gave it to your mother when I left for Ered Luin," she explained. "I couldn't see me taking it along, and I never really felt like I deserved it anyway. So, I was happy to see it go to someone who might use it."

"What else did she do?" Kili pressed, having thoroughly enjoyed the first story and now eager for more.

"Oh, many, many things, Prince Kili," Brayden laughed, proceeding to tell several more tales of Jade's brave deeds, from saving him from the river, to how she had gone on multiple trading expeditions with her father, making friends wherever she went. All the while Jade kept breaking in and protesting when he made the situation out to be more than it was, but in the end, everyone was laughing and enjoying the man's stories…none more than Fili. "And _that_ is why I will never ask her to cook me up a chicken stew again." Brayden finished, putting his arm around Jade and giving her a warm hug. "She was just too kindhearted to kill the wretched hen, even if all it ever did was chase everyone around and peck at their feet."

"So…if it wasn't chicken," Ori questioned in a curious tone. "What kind of meat _was_ in the stew?"

"I never asked, and I made Jade promise to never tell me," Brayden said with a shudder. "I ate it, so I would rather remain oblivious to its contents, thank you very much."

This once again had them all laughing, causing Thorin, Dis, and Falsted to pause in their own conversation and look over at the group with interest.

"It would appear that young Brayden is finding your nephew worthy of his cousin's attentions," the man of Rohan stated with a smile. "I admit that until our ride here, I have not had the pleasure of spending time with the lad myself, but from what little I know, I admire him. He has shown a fine character."

"Good, for I feel the same way about my nephew," Thorin responded.

"As do I," Dis added. "And it would be prudent if they found common ground now, should they ever find themselves related in the future."

"Your acceptance of the Lady Jade's rather uncommon upbringing is a testament to your people, King Thorin," Falsted continued. "Brayden told me of how she had been found by his relatives and raised among men. She is a brave lass to have struck out on her own to reconnect with her dwarven roots."

"That she is," Thorin agreed. "And I have found nothing within the lass' character that I disapprove of, leaving me more than pleased at my nephew's intent to court her. She would make a fine addition to my family, as well as a future queen of Erebor."

"Yet, do you not ever wonder where she comes from?" Falsted pressed. "Who her family was or where they were going?"

"Of course we wonder," Dis replied with a sigh of regret. "As does she. Yet thus far, nothing has led us to discovering the truth."

"If she has not been able to ascertain that information with the help of my sister, I fear she might never learn the truth about such things," Thorin told him, giving Dis a smile of pride. "For my sister is nothing, if not tenacious, and I for one trust her investigative instincts more than most. If the truth is out there to be had, Dis will find it."

"Then it is fortunate that the young lady found herself in such fine company," Falsted complimented. "And I for one believe she couldn't have better friends in all of Middle Earth." He then raised his mug of ale to Thorin and Dis in a salute, downing the contents, as the king followed suit.

.

.

The days passed quickly, with Brayden spending as much time with Jade as he could, yet knowing that he would not be allowed to tarry much longer and must soon return to Rohan.

Unfortunately, this didn't afford Fili any opportunity to get Jade alone in which to talk about his feelings or his unanswered request for a kiss. Still, he wouldn't begrudge her the time spent with her cousin, enjoying how often she smiled as she and the young man conversed and reminisced. Fili was patient. He could wait.

On what would be Brayden's final full day in the dwarf kingdom, he asked Fili to go out riding with him, under the guise of doing a bit of hunting. The crown prince saw through such a ruse immediately, yet agreed to the outing nonetheless. So, Fili found himself on the back of a pony, with a bow and arrow strung across his back as he and Brayden headed out in search of a stag.

"You know why I asked you to join me today, do you not?" Brayden asked, once they were far enough into the woods to have complete privacy.

"I suspect that you wished to speak with me where no one else could overhear," Fili admitted. "Or might you intend to kill me and hide my body? Wanting no witnesses to the act?"

This had Brayden laughing, enjoying the prince's good sense of humor.

"I truly hope you are joking and that you never dreamed me capable of such a thing," the man stated, once he was able to control his mirth. "For I fear that even if I have the height advantage, you are far superior to me when it comes to skill with a weapon and battle tactics. I fear I would be the one in need of a burial should I ever be foolish enough to challenge you, Your Highness."

"Don't sell yourself short, Brayden," Fili argued, not disagreeing with him, yet not wanting the lad to think himself inferior. "I'm certain you can hold your own in a fight."

"Oh, I can!" he insisted. "But I was referring to the fact that Jade would certainly murder me in my sleep if I ever dared to interfere in her courtship like that."

This now had both the males laughing together, lessening the tension that had grown between them as they rode.

"Then why exactly _did_ you wish to get me alone, if not to do me bodily harm?" Fili joked.

"To tell you that I approve of you, Prince Fili," Brayden confessed. "Jade is special to me, and not simply because she is my adoptive cousin. There has always been more to her than meets the eye, and I pity the fool who ever dares to underestimate, or under-value, her worth. From what I've observed, you are no fool."

"And I would never treat her so callously," Fili broke in, wanting to make his point clear.

"That is indeed good to hear," Brayden nodded. "Her parents named her Jade because of her vibrant green eyes, but also because she was as a precious jewel to them. Everyone in our village came to believe the same thing. I just want you to realize what a treasure you are getting in Jade."

"I have come to appreciate many things about your cousin," Fili assured him. "And I'm certain I will continue to discover more and more of her fine qualities as time goes on. Yet, I promise that I will never take her for granted, nor will I treat her as anything but the amazing dwarrowdam that she is. You shall never have cause to seek retribution for any of my actions, this I swear."

"I'm happy to hear that, for as I stated before, I doubt I would be able to take you in a fair fight," Brayden reminded him. "Still, for Jade's sake, I'm willing to fight dirty. Don't forget that."

"I won't," Fili solemnly stated.

"Well, then, since we have all of _that_ out of the way, and you and I are in agreement where Jade is concerned, what say we see if we can indeed find a stag to feast upon during my last night here in Erebor," Brayden suggested.

And kicking their mounts into a full gallop, the two of them headed deeper into the forest.

* * *

 **Well, it looks like Fili got Brayden's stamp of approal at last. But come on, did anyone doubt he would?**

 **And Brayden, for all his protiective traits, wasn't such a bad guy after all...and Kili enjoyed his stories.**

 **Now, it's up to Fili to prove to her that he wants this courtship to become real...will he at last get the chance to do it?**

 **Tune in next time to find out.**

* * *

 **No Guest Reviews this time.**

 ***sad face***


	19. Chapter 19

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 **Congratulations to Aranel Mereneth for being my 200th reviewer!**

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 **Chapter 19**

 **~X~**

* * *

Jade had been sad to see her cousin leave, yet she knew he couldn't remain in Erebor forever. He had a life, and a king to serve, thus she found herself standing at the gates, waving farewell as he and the other men he had come with disappeared over the horizon. However, while he had been in residence, Brayden had afforded Jade the distraction necessary to keep her mind away from the rather startling request Fili had made of her the previous week… _that of a kiss._

Fili had been a model suitor while Brayden had been around – doing and saying all the right things and not acting in any way remotely inappropriate – yet she couldn't get that one incident out of her mind. Had she misunderstood his motives, or perhaps his intentions? Had it all been for show? And yet, there was no one around at the time for him to put on such an act. Jade couldn't say that she had been opposed to his entreaty, and to be perfectly honest, she had often wondered what kissing Fili would be like. Still, the last thing she wanted to do was misinterpret things and make this fake courtship any more awkward than it already was. And so, without knowing what she should do, the poor dam decided to speak to the only person she felt might offer her some helpful advice.

Dis.

.

.

"It's is so nice to have a few minutes alone with you, my dear," the princess stated as she poured the two of them a cup of tea in her private chambers. "Between your cousin's visit, and all the time you are required to spend with Fili, I find I've missed your company a great deal."

"I have felt the same way, Lady Dis," Jade told her, spooning in some sugar and stirring the liquid around in her cup. "However, things have become a lot more complicated, I fear, and I don't quite know how to react."

"Oh? Were you unable to placate your cousin enough to ease his mind about your position here in Erebor?" Dis asked in a worried tone. "It pains me to know that you had to tell him a falsehood, concerning your potential engagement to my son, but I _do_ thank you for not shaming Fili by confessing the truth of the matter."

"Oh, no, that's not the issue. My cousin is quite content with my explanation of what is going on, as well as my promise that I can call the whole thing off at any time I wish. Besides, I would _never_ do anything to bring further reproach on Fili," Jade assured the older dam. "I respect him far too much and would rather cut off my hand than hurt your family."

"Well, I thank you for the sentiment, but let's not go _that_ far, shall we?" Dis chuckled. "Yet, if it has nothing to do with your cousin, please tell me what is bothering you. What complications have you so perplexed?"

"Well…I…I'm not sure what it is that Fili wants…or expects of me," she confessed. "I mean, I was under the impression that this was all a sham, and that we were expected to maintain a somewhat chaste courtship during that time."

"You are," Dis assured her. "A dwarrow cannot impose upon his intended in any way if she objects to physical contact. Yet, hand-holding and small shows of affection _are_ quite acceptable as long as they are done while being well chaperoned." Her eyes then narrowed a bit as she stared at Jade. "Has my son been acting inappropriately towards you? Demanding more than you are comfortable with? If so, I swear I'll chop off his beard and feed it to the ponies!"

"OH NO! Not at all!" Jade gasped, knowing that Dis would do just that if she felt Fili hadn't conducted himself properly. "Fili hasn't done anything wrong, I assure you!"

"Then why the question about propriety?" Dis asked, now quite confused.

"Because…well…I just wanted to know if it would be…acceptable if I were to…well, _kiss_ Fili," she hedged, stumbling over her words as her cheeks flared with embarrassment.

"Well, that would all depend on if you _wanted_ to kiss my son," Dis replied, holding her breath as she felt a smile tug at her lips. "And if you did, do you think he would like for you to kiss _him_?"

"I…I kind of got the odd feeling that he meant to kiss me in the hallway the night that Kili and I were rescued from the cave-in…but I'm not sure," she began. "And then just last week, he came right out and asked…sort of," Jade confessed, looking down at her hands as she fiddled with her skirt nervously. "I mean, at least I _think_ he asked if he could kiss me…or more specifically that I would kiss him. Still, I could have completely misunderstood."

"Tell me Fili's exact words, as well as where you were when he supposedly asked?" Dis pressed eager to hear it recounted.

"We were…laying in some tall grass in woods, hiding from Kili's cadets who were looking for us," Jade explained, realizing just how inappropriate that sounded, though in truth it hadn't been. "And his exact words were…well, _'kiss me'._ I guess it could all have been for show, or maybe he was just asking if I would be _open_ to the idea of doing so later on if we had to prove to someone we were emotionally invested…oh, I don't know!" she moaned burying her face in her hands and leaning forward.

Dis couldn't help but feel both elated and worried at the same time. She couldn't imagine her son doing anything inappropriate towards Jade - at least not intentionally. Nor was he the type to trifle with a dam in such a manner either. So, she could only assume that Fili had indeed requested such a gesture out of pure interest, the very kind that could lead to affection, if not love. It had been very easy for Dis to grow to care for Jade as if she were a daughter to her, and to think that Fili might actually be showing signs of fondness for the lass as well was a sheer delight. Still, Dis knew she mustn't push, or move too quickly, fearing that she might spook the couple and drive them apart. Best to let such things grow naturally, if there be a chance they might grow at all.

"Jade, my dear, I understand that this is all new and confusing for you, and I sympathize with how you are feeling," Dis stated in a tactful yet ambiguous manner. "However, I believe you are making mountains out of molehills, as we dwarves tend to say. You've been thrown into a very odd situation, one that even I am unsure how to navigate successfully. A _fake_ courtship is unheard of, and thus has no set rules in which to be governed by. We're all treading on new territory, to be sure. Thus, my only advice would be to speak with Fili, ask him what _he_ meant by such a request and then tell him honestly how _you_ feel about it. It could have been a simple misunderstanding, or exactly what it appeared to be, a sincere request for a kiss. Either way, you are still the one in charge, _you_ hold all the cards, and Fili will have to abide by whatever you say."

"For someone who is supposed to be in control, I sure feel anything but," Jade said with a sigh. "Yet, I know you're right. I need to speak with Fili…though I fear I might die of embarrassment in the process. What if I'm completely off the mark and he thinks me a raving lunatic?"

"I doubt he would ever think such a thing about you, my dear," Dis chuckled. "And if he did, I would fall back on my original thought and shave the lad bald!"

This had Jade laughing a bit as well, though nervously at best. Dis always did have a way of putting things into perspective.

"Thank you for listening to me," Jade said with a smile of gratitude. "I do feel better now."

"Excellent! Now, how about you tell me more of what happened when you two were hiding in the tall grass," Dis encouraged, scooting even closer with a look of gleeful delight on her face. "But most important, do you ever think about kissing him?"

"Dis!" Jade gasped, her face growing warm as she looked away. "I'm not certain this is the proper thing to discuss with…with _his mother_!"

"Forget that he's my son and just imagine I'm a friend, one who is desperate to hear any scandalous gossip about the dashing crown prince," Dis urged, her tone almost a begging one. Yet, before Jade could utter one word, there came an unexpected knock at the Princess' door. Giving a sigh of frustration, Dis rose to her feet, yet pointed her finger at the younger dam as she did. " _This_ is not over. I fully expect you to fill me in on all the juicy details later. Do you hear me?" Not waiting for a response, Dis went to answer the door, finding one of the pages waiting anxiously outside.

"Lady Dis," he began with a bow. "Your presence is requested by King Thorin in the throne room. We have just been notified that Lord Thranduil of Mirkwood has been spotted on route to the mountain and he wishes you to be present when he arrives."

"The elven king…already?" Dis sounded both shocked and intrigued. For she had heard many stories about this perplexing monarch and she was anxious to get a look at him herself. Had her brother's longstanding hatred of the elf and his race colored his opinion of him, or was he indeed as irritating as Thorin had insisted? She figured she would find out very soon. "Inform the king that I will meet him there shortly," she told the dwarf, shutting the door and turning back to Jade. "Go put on your best gown, my dear, for I think you would find this meeting very entertaining as well."

.

.

Fili stood to the right of his uncle's throne, waiting for the doors to open and the elven king to present himself. They had all known for a while that Thranduil would be coming to the mountain to begin negotiations concerning the treaty Gandalf had insisted upon. Still, from the frown on Thorin's face, Fili could tell it was not something his uncle was looking forward to.

Kili had also come to support his king, standing at Fili's right hand, armed and prepared to do battle, if the need arose. Thankfully, the younger dwarrow had healed nicely over the past weeks, having abandoned the crutch several days ago and had since returned to full duty. Dwarves were a hearty race, and injuries did not keep them down for long.

Fili knew that Thorin had sent word to his mother to join them, yet his eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw that she had brought Jade along with her, instructing her to stand behind her chair in a position of honor as she took her place beside Thorin. Fili figured it was only right that she be there, after all, Jade was courting the crown prince, and even if she still believed it was all a ruse, he hoped that would soon change.

Yet before Fili could think any more on the subject, the large double doors at the end of the room opened and the elves of Mirkwood were invited in, led by none other than King Thranduil himself. Never having met an elf in person until their quest, Fili and Kili had not grown up hating the race of the Eldar the way his uncle had. And while the fact that his son, Prince Legolas, and their soldiers had taken them prisoner and thrown them in the dungeons had initially soured his opinion of them a bit, due to their support and assistance during the Battle of The Five Armies, Fili was willing to set that aside and focus on the pursuit of peaceful relations.

 _"Look!"_ Kili whispered excitedly, leaning closer to his brother so that none could overhear him. _"Look who came with him!"_

Fili did indeed scan the faces of the others in his group, noticing that Prince Legolas had accompanied his father, yet that was not whom he suspected his brother was referring to. For just behind the two royal elves, was the red-haired captain of the guard…the very maid that Kili had inexplicably become enamored with. _Tauriel._

"Yes…I see her," Fili stated with a sigh of resignation. He was not against his brother's feeling, yet he was also fully aware of how impossible the situation was, and it pained him to think of Kili in such emotional turmoil over it. "Just keep your mouth shut and don't give anything away, you hear? Now is certainly not the time or place for you to go acting all moony-eyed."

Kili had been about to ask when _was_ the time and place for such things, when Thorin spoke, drawing all attention to him.

"King Thranduil of Mirkwood…it is indeed a… _pleasure_ to have you here," he managed to get out between clenched teeth." And from the way that Dwalin gave a snort or derision, Fili could tell his uncle had practically forced the words out.

"Is it indeed?" the elf king questioned, raising one dark and perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the dwarf's greeting. "Then, in the same spirit, let me also say that I am… _honored_ to be here."

At this, Fili rolled his eyes, thinking that it was going to be a very long and tedious conference. Thankfully, Dis rose to her feet and stepped in, smoothing things over for her stubborn brother.

"King Thranduil, I am delighted to renew your acquaintance once again," she told him in a sincere voice, one that further surprised the tall elf. "I have greatly wished to express my gratitude for the service you rendered my brother and sons during the battle which took so many lives…that of dwarves, elves and men. Without your aid, I fear that I might be standing here today bereft, having lost some, if not all, of my family. For this, you have my most sincere thanks."

"Your words are appreciated, Lady Dis," Thranduil stated, easily deducing the dam's identity from her likeness to her brother…though the elf king had to admit he found Dis much more appealing. He was also genuinely impressed by her diplomacy, something Thorin could stand to work on. "I must say that I am rather taken aback by your civility, given the history between our two races. I do hope that negotiations will continue along this same vein."

"As do I, King Thranduil," Thorin interrupted, not wanting his sister to appear more congenial than him. "We are living in a new age, one the children of Mahal wish to see begins with peace and prosperity…for all our allies. Thus, we welcome you in friendship and hope you leave the same way." It was a kind gesture, yet everyone there could read between the lines, recognizing Thorin's desire for the elves to simply _leave_. Still, Thranduil didn't rise to the bait, and instead only nodded his head in compliance. "If you will follow my councilor, Balin, he will see that you are taken to the guest quarters, where accommodations have been arranged with your race specifically in mind. I would also like to invite you to dine at my table this evening…you and any high-ranking companions who traveled with you, of course."

"We would be pleased to accept your hospitality, King Thorin," Thranduil stated, bowing slightly as he turned to follow the white-haired dwarf as he led the elves out the side door and towards their quarters.

Once he believed them safely out of earshot, Thorin let out a grumbling sigh.

" _Elves_ …residing within the walls of Erebor!" he all but spat. "My grandfather is most likely tearing apart the Halls of Mandos with his bare hands!"

"Now hush, Thorin," Dis scolded. "Being king does not always mean getting your own way. It is about doing what is best for your people…and right now that is forming strong alliances with your closest neighbors, even if they are elves." She then turned and looked at her two sons sternly. "And let this be a lesson to you as well, for one day, you will rule in Thorin's place and the ties you make now will only strengthen your reign in the future, do you hear me!"

"I have no issues with the elves," Kili insisted, holding up his hands in defense.

"And I will not let past prejudices blind me to the greater good such unions can afford," Fili assured her. "Yet, nor will I stand by placidly, should this elf king choose to offer insult to my king, kin, or people." For his words, Fili won a wide smile of gratitude from Thorin for his loyalty.

"Then we will simply need to hope it does not come to that," Dis huffed, signaling for Jade to follow her as she headed for the side door. "Now, I expect you all to be on your best behavior at dinner tonight, do you hear me?" And not waiting for a reply, she left the room.

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Fili spent the rest of the afternoon looking over trade proposals and other pertinent things concerning the alliance agreement with the elves, wanting to be prepared for whatever they threw at them. As the crown prince, he knew his uncle would be looking to him for input and suggestions, and he didn't want to let Thorin down. Still, more times than not, he found his mind wandering to thoughts of Jade, recalling how lovely – _and right_ \- she had looked in the throne room. Her dress had brought out the color of her eyes, making it nearly impossible to tear his gaze from her when the elves arrived. He could imagine her sitting in his mother's chair one day, ruling beside him as he addressed his people or visiting dignitaries. She would be an asset to his kingship, the voice of reason when he too became hot headed and stubborn like his uncle often did. Yes, Jade would make a fine queen, he just knew it. Yet all of this hinged on whether or not the two were compatible as a true couple, and if she would accept him, should he ever grow a pair and confess his budding affections.

Giving a sigh of frustration, Fili turned his attention back to the parchment in front of him, once more attempting to force his mind on what needed doing, and off his beautiful Jade.

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Kili had chosen other pursuits in order to distract him from the visiting elves, heading straight for the training ring, where he fired arrow after arrow at a target until his muscles ached from the exertion. It was there that Jade found him, waiting patiently for him to expend his quiver before breaking into his thoughts.

"Kili? Are you all right?" she asked, making the dwarf jump at the sound of her voice.

"Jade!" he responded, quickly schooling his anxious expression as he headed for the target to extract his arrows. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well…for one thing, it looks as though that practice dummy has very little straw left inside him," she pointed out, noting how more of the filling littered the floor than was still contained within the cloth shell. "And second, I'm not blind. I saw how you stared at the pretty elf lass who came with King Thranduil. Might I assume that is your Tauriel?"

Kili froze in place, shutting his eyes and giving a sigh of defeat. It would seem that Jade was more observant than he gave her credit for, having believed her completely blind to such things due to her inability to recognize his brother's interest in her. Yet, he _had_ confided in her about his feelings for his red-haired captain, and there was no sense in denying it now.

"Yes…that was her," he confessed, turning around and staring at Jade. "The maid of my dreams is here within the mountain and I can do nothing about it without risking my uncle's wrath…or causing a diplomatic incident. Do you know how frustrating that is?"

"I…I can imagine," Jade responded. And in truth, she _could_ easily imagine, since she was experiencing something similar herself. Having these unidentified feelings for Fili, and yet unable to do anything about it. Oh, it was truly maddening. "Is there anything I can do to help, Kili? Anything at all?"

"Can you magically turn Tauriel into a dwarf?" he asked with a snort of sad humor, coming over to stand in front of her.

"Would you actually _want_ me to?" Jade asked skeptically.

"No…for though it would make things much easier, I would not change a hair on her head for anything in the world," Kili confessed, a wistful smile gracing his lips. "To me…she is perfect just as she is."

"Now, those are words I think you should be telling _her_ …not me," Jade laughed.

"Really, and exactly when should I speak such expressions?" Kili questioned. "For it is highly unlikely that I will be afforded even a moment's time with her in private, and I fear these are words her king and prince would not appreciate hearing."

"The road to love has never been a smooth one, Kili," she informed him, speaking as if she were most knowledgeable on the subject. "At least that's what my mother once told me, and I've never found a reason to discount her advice. But, don't give up hope. Things might turn out all right in the end."

"I wish I had your faith, Jade," Kili told her, slinging his bow and quiver over his shoulder as he pulled her into a friendly embrace. "But thanks for trying to make me feel better."

"Did it work?" she asked with a hopeful grin.

"A little," he admitted. "And right now, that's better than nothing."

"Always happy to be of service, My Prince," Jade smiled.

"Don't let Fili hear you calling me that," Kili laughed, as the two of them headed for the door. "He seems to be under the impression that _he_ is your prince."

"Can't I have two?" Jade questioned in a teasing manner.

"Greedy, that's what you are!" Kili accused. "You're apparently embracing your dwarf heritage faster than I thought!"

Jade joined in Kili's laughter, thinking that dwarves might indeed be accused of being greedy, or at least very protective over what they feel is theirs, but there was another characteristic she had heard applied to her race… _scheming_. And if she could just find a way to pull it off, Jade was determined to live up to _that_ title too!

* * *

 **Oh dear, what does Jade have planned? I hope it turns out better than Kili's helpful ideas. ha ha.**

 **Well, Tauriel is in the house...er...mountain. And Kili is tied in knots not knowing what to do about it.**

 **Fili is still having trouble figuring out what to say to Jade.**

 **And Dis is now in the 'know' so to speak...so watch out!**

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 **Guest Reviews! They're back!**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Hey look! You were my 200th reviewer! Congratulations. As for Thorin doing something as smart as locking them in a room together...well, I just don't see THAT happening. ha ha. Maybe Dis...

 **Nala:** I'm so happy you decided to stop and take a peek at my story. I often hesitate to read something that is unfinished, especially if the story has been going on for several months with little sign of updates. But hopefully, you saw that I am very fast on updating my story...and I've officially finished writing it as well. I'm glad you like Jade, it's very hard to create an OC and not make them TOO perfect. You want them believable, as well as likable. I also noticed that you sent me three reviews...each a little different, could it be that you posted your review and then didn't see it show up in the review section and thought it didn't go through? That's because Guest Reviews have to be moderated, meaning I have to go in and hit 'send up' for them to be posted - its a safety device, just in case some guest sends out an obscene review full of foul language or something, I have the power to choose whether it goes public or not. Anyway, I got home, noticed them, and hit publish right away! So thanks! Looking forward to hearing from you again as the story continues...which it will...quite quickly. T.O.W.G.

 **Emrfangirl:** Ahhhh, yes, binge reading is fun. But then, sadly, that 'next' button does go away, right? Well here is another chapter to make you feel better...or if you are reading this, you probably already devoured it and need more! Insatiable, that's what you are! ha ha. Yes, Brayden was a pretty good guy, and other than a bit of a stir at dinner, he didn't cause any trouble. Fili even got on his good side. Oh yes, Jade didn't mean to get Fili all hot and bothered, but when in the heat of the moment, you can forget what your doing...like laying on top of a sexy dwarf. ha ha. Kili is silly, but that's what he's there for, to make you laugh. He's good at that. Oh, yes the Grey Mountain gang is coming, but looks like Thorin must deal with the Mirkwood gang first. ha ha. Thanks


	20. Chapter 20

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 **If you are enjoying my story, please feel free to check out my other Hobbit Fan Fiction.**

 **A Different Kind of Thirst**

 **Little Son of Durin**

 **and**

 **Enthralled**

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 **Chapter 20**

 **~X~**

 **{ } around speech means Sindarin**

 **[ ] around speech means Khuzdul**

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Tauriel sat in a place of honor, completely lost in thought. Three tables had been pushed together to form a sort of horse-shoe shape in order to accommodate all the important guests that evening. She and the other guards sat to the right of Legolas, who was placed at the right hand of his father, King Thranduil. Thorin sat in the middle of the center table, with the elf king on one side, and his sister on the other. The rest had been placed by rank, first Fili, next Jade - as his intended - and then Kili, Balin, and Dwalin. Gloin and Oin would have normally joined them, but due to the elves needing to be shown deference, they had opted to sit elsewhere.

Tauriel found the sleeping chambers she had been given were nothing short of opulent, and a far cry from the accommodations she and her brethren had afforded the dwarves during _their_ stay in Mirkwood. Still, those had been times of suspicion and war, whereas now peace was their objective. Tauriel had found Thranduil's actions thus far coincided with his own hope for mutual relations to grow between him and the dwarves of Erebor, realizing the benefits far outweighed the long-standing feuds of the past. Tauriel agreed, and not simply because she had been unable to get the cheeky dwarf prince named Kili out of her mind… _or her heart._

It was odd, and a bit frightening to realize that she had allowed such feelings to grow within her and directed at a male of a different race no less. There were so many reasons this pairing was doomed to failure, and yet, if he but asked, Tauriel knew that she would willingly follow him to the ends of Middle Earth and beyond. Now if only she could discover if he too felt the same way.

Yet, here she sat, while the dwarf in question occupied the seat at the far end of the table opposite her, and while only a dozen yards separated them, it might have as well been a mile. Tauriel had caught him looking in her direction, just as she was certain he had noticed her lingering glances as well. However, speaking to him was out of the question, and the more time that drug on, the more frustrated she became.

Kili hadn't changed much in the past six months or so, not that she had expected him to. For even if he was quite young by her standards, he was a full-grown adult, and though not having her immortal lifespan, dwarves did live much longer than the race of men. Once more she let her eyes rake over him, from his slightly disheveled hair, the stubble on his chin, and the little dimple that formed on his left cheek when he would grin. Tauriel loved it when Kili smiled and enjoyed it even more when he directed it straight at her. He had a playful shyness about him, yet she could tell that a mischievous streak ran a mile wide through the dwarven prince. Granted, Kili was shorter than her by a few hands, but that didn't matter to her one bit, and she found herself willing to spend an eternity looking down into his entrancing brown eyes.

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Dinner was soon over, drinks had been poured, and many of the guests were rising from their chairs to mingle and even dance - a cheery band having struck up a lively tune. From her seat on the left side of the table, Jade had been watching both Tauriel and Kili closely, and while she was certain no one else noticed, to her eyes, their interest in each other screamed out loud and clear. She had been plotting all day and now through dinner, hoping to find a way to allow Kili and his elf lass to get a bit of alone time. Yet, Jade knew she must do so without arising suspicion. It wasn't until the band began to warm up, and many of the tables were pushed aside, did inspiration strike.

"Fili…" Jade began, turning towards him as he sat beside her.

"Yes, my dear?" he answered, lowering his fork as he gave her his full attention.

"If I were to ask another male to dance with me…would that be scandalous?" she questioned. "I don't wish to insult you or do anything wrong."

"Of course not," Fili chuckled. "You can ask whomever you like to dance, though please be assured that should you wish to take a turn around the room, I am more than willing to accompany you."

"And I would enjoy that very much," she was quick to assure him. "Yet, I fear if I do not ask this person to dance, he might not get the opportunity all night, and I don't want him to feel left out."

"Oh…you wish to bolster some poor lad's confidence, do you?" he asked with a grin. In the back of his mind, he imagined Jade was thinking of Ori or Bifur…perhaps even Kili. "That is very kind of you, and I wholeheartedly encourage you do so. Yet, you must agree to save at least one or two dances for me. Agreed?"

"Of course," Jade smiled, patting Fili's arm appreciatively. "Now…if you will excuse me." And up she rose, straightening her skirts as she stepped around the table and headed directly towards where King Thorin and King Thranduil sat.

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It was Tauriel who first noticed the lovely looking dam who had been seated next to the blond prince rise to her feet and make her way around the head table. Tauriel has seen her and the Lady Dis earlier in the throne room, having been rather surprised that female dwarves – or dwarrowdams as they called themselves – had been present. Especially after hearing how much they were valued and protected by their male counterparts. Yet, being royalty…or at least soon-to-be royalty…Tauriel could see why they would be required to attend a gathering such as this.

However, when the Lady Jade stopped and bowed to King Thranduil, as well as Prince Legolas, you could have knocked Tauriel over with a feather when the words out of the dam's mouth were in perfect Sindarin.

 _"{We are quite honored, King Thranduil, to have you and your kin present tonight,}"_ the green-eyed dam stated. _"{I have heard many tales of how your people aided in the protection of the mountain during the time of war.}"_

Tauriel stifled a laugh when she saw her king's eyes grow wide at the use of his own tongue, having apparently been as shocked as she was to hear such things from a dwarf's lips. Yet, if Thranduil appeared surprised, Thorin was even more so, staring open mouthed at the little dam as if she had grown a second head.

"{ _Your Sindarin is quite good, Lady Jade,}"_ Legolas broke in, seeing that no one else had the presence of mind to speak. _"{Might I inquire as to where you learned such a thing?}"_

"I was taught your language in Rivendell," Jade answered with a wide smile, switching back to Western so that the dwarves would not be left out of the conversation. "My father made many trips to the hidden valley of Imladris when I was growing up and I applied myself to learning as much of it as I could."

"Well, you have certainly accomplished your goal, Lady," Thranduil responded, at last breaking out of his stunned silence. "Though I find it very difficult to believe that dwarves would have had much dealings with elves…even our western kin under the rule of Lord Elrond."

"Actually, my adopted father was of the race of men," Jade explained, feeling oddly comfortable speaking to the tall elf king for some unknown reason. "I was raised in a village near the Dunlands, so visits to Imladris were nothing out of the ordinary."

"A dwarrowdam raised by men and who speaks the tongue of the elves? Yours proves to be a very interesting tale," Thranduil continued, looking over at Thorin with a raised eyebrow. "Why have you been hiding such a treasure, King Thorin? Had I known your nephew possessed such a delightful betrothed, I would have insisted she be seated next to me so that I could have conversed with her all evening."

"I too am still discovering all the… _delightful secrets_ the Lady Jade possesses," Thorin told him, doing his best to return his expression to that of a stoic and dignified king.

"Perhaps the lass could be of help during negotiations," Tauriel spoke up, instantly liking the spunky dwarrowdam. "Often much is lost in translation, they say."

"A splendid idea!" Thranduil agreed. "That is, of course, if Prince Fili does not object…nor you, King Thorin."

Fili, who had sat in stunned silence ever since Jade has approached the elven king, snapped out of his trance at the mention of his name. His mother had long ago revealed to him the fact that Jade could speak Sindarin, but this had been the first time he'd heard her use it. Still, he schooled his expression and rose from his seat, bowing to both Thranduil and Jade.

"My Lady can do as she pleases," he informed the elf. "She is my intended, not my servant or slave. If Jade wishes to join in the discussions, she is free to do so."

"I too find no reason to object," Thorin said with a nod of his head, figuring any advantage he could gain would be to his benefit. "The choice is yours, Lady Jade."

"I would love to! Thank you very much for the offer," she grinned, truly hoping she could be of some use and not just a nuisance. "Yet, in the meantime, I was wondering if I might be so bold as to petition Prince Legolas for a dance? It has been some time since I have partaken of any elf dances, but I would very much like to see if I recall one or two."

"You wish to dance… _with me_?" Legolas stammered, taken aback by her unexpected offer.

"I promise not to step on your toes too much, My Lord Prince," Jade assured him, holding out her hand in invitation. "Would you do me the honor?"

"I would indeed," Legolas nodded, shooting Fili a quick look in order to make sure he would not receive a knife to the back if he agreed. Yet, in the crown prince he saw only confusion and genuine surprise, not animosity, so he figured he was safe. "For I would be a fool to turn down such an offer."

Jade's smile grew wider, yet as she turned towards Tauriel, her face fell.

"Oh, dear!" she said in a forlorn tone. "But that leaves _you_ without a partner for the festivities…Tauriel, was it?"

"Aye, Lady Jade," the red-haired elleth nodded, rising and giving her a polite bow. "Tauriel, Captain of the Mirkwood guard, at your service."

"At yours and your families as well," Jade responded with a dainty curtsy. "Yet, this will simply not do, for I would not have you sitting alone without a partner." Here she spun around and stared directly at Kili, who had also been watching the goings on, his mug of ale frozen halfway between the table and his mouth for the past few minutes. "Kili! Come offer to dance with Captain Tauriel. As a prince of the realm, it would be the chivalrous thing to do."

Once more, those who were privy to the conversation grew silent, this time all eyes turning towards the dark-haired dwarf at the end of the table. Would he agree? Would he deny the elf lass? No one knew for sure…except of course Jade and Fili.

"I…it would be my pleasure!" Kili nearly shouted, once his power of speech was restored. And all but leaping over the table, he came to stand in front of Tauriel, bowing low as he too held out his hand in an invitation. "Shall we?"

 _"[This is highly irregular!]"_ Thorin leaned over and whispered in Khuzdul to Dis.

 _"[Oh hush! This is good diplomacy, and you should be grateful!]"_ Dis hissed back, elbowing the king in the side as only a little sister could do. _"[A dance or two won't hurt anything.]"_

Thorin gave a grunt of irritation but remained silent on the matter, watching as Kili escorted the elf lass to the dance floor, followed closely by Jade and Legolas. It seemed like all eyes were on the two couples, their height differences quite noticeable – especially Jade and the elf prince, for he was exceptionally tall, and she was quite on the diminutive side even for a dwarf. Still, they made it work, all the while smiling and laughing at their mishaps. Thankfully, it was a lively dance, and other than a few spins and turns, they were not required to make physical contact much, so they managed. One dance led to two, and soon they were lost among a sea of others, no one giving the odd pairs another glance.

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Fili sat there at the table as his lovely lass spun and laughed, enjoying her time with the elf prince. And while he wondered if he should feel jealous…he was surprised to find he wasn't! Sure, the idea of Jade being with anyone else ate him up inside, but the near comical paring of her and the elf, left no room for such thoughts in his mind. In fact, he found himself grinning. Jade had a kind heart, willing to see that the visiting prince had a good time and didn't feel snubbed in any way. But most of all, Fili could see exactly how she had maneuvered things so that his little brother could spend time with his elf lass, and no one would be the wiser. She was a sly one, that was for sure, and Fili thoroughly admired her for it.

Giving a wide smile, he touched the small box in his pocket, thinking of how she might react to his second courting gift. He had no doubt she would accept it, for that was the plan, but this one was meant to please her, and he certainly hoped it did just that. She never seemed to desire anything or look longingly at items when they passed by the stalls at the market, so Fili had little to go on. But he believed he had found something that was both sentimental and practical, ensuring that she would reward him with one of her amazing smiles in return. But that would have to wait until later, for he was not about to interrupt her masterful plan. So, he watched, smiled, and waited patiently for his turn to dance with Jade.

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"If you fear you have forgotten any of the steps, Lady Jade, I assure you that you haven't," Legolas complimented her during their second dance.

"I think it is all due to you taking the lead," she countered, her cheeks blushing slightly. "Otherwise I would have made a complete fool of myself…and not regretted it for a moment."

"I am glad to see that you are not the type to expect perfection of yourself," Legolas laughed. "I often heard that dwarves tend to lean in that direction."

"Oh, I'm certain they do," Jade assured him. "When it comes to their craft, they would expect no less. Yet dancing is hardly my specialty, thus I can laugh at myself as much as the next person."

"As my father has already stated, you are quite delightful to speak with, Lady Jade," the elf prince told her. "And yet, I am beginning to suspect that asking me to dance held a secondary purpose…am I correct?"

"What?" Jade's smile instantly faded, worried that she might have somehow insulted the royal guest.

"I've seen you glance over at Prince Kili and Tauriel multiple times, and while I am hardly offended, I do believe getting _them_ alone was your ultimate goal," he told her, leaning in a bit so that his words would not be overheard. "Are you perhaps playing matchmaker, Lady Jade?"

"I…I…" she stammered, not sure how to answer. "And…what if I am?"

"Then I believe that you and I can indeed be friends," he chuckled, pulling back as he watched the look of worry on her face morph into one of shock. "Yes, I too know of my friend's feelings for the dwarf prince, and while I realize such a thing might be unwise, I will not deny her the opportunity to follow her heart's desire. You did a good thing here tonight, and I for one thank you for your assistance."

"Then…then you don't mind?" Jade gasped, tickled to have another ally on her side in all this.

"Perhaps I would have objected a year ago, but things have changed greatly between our people, and I care for Tauriel too much to see her hopes dashed simply because of a difference in races," Legolas admitted. "Thus, if dancing with you affords them the opportunity to talk, then I say we continue on until our feet give out!"

"So be it, My Lord Prince," Jade grinned, taking his hand and spinning under his arm a few times, the two gliding across the dance floor with a flourish.

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"I…I was surprised to see you had come to Erebor," Kili had spoken up after nearly a full dance had gone by. "I had often feared I might never see you again."

"And did you _desire_ to see me again, Prince Kili?" Tauriel asked, holding her breath as she waited for his response.

"Kili…just Kili, please," he instructed, always hating the formal use of his title. "And yes, I did…very much in fact!"

"As I you," Tauriel revealed, her cheeks quickly sharing the same tint as her hair.

"You _wanted_ to see me again too?" Kili couldn't believe his luck. He had long imagined his infatuation might have been purely one sided, but to now confirm that it wasn't…well that was astounding. "And might there be anything you wished to say to me…should we have met again?"

"That depends," she hummed, not wanting to be the first to speak of her feelings. "Do you have anything you wished to say to me?"

At this, Kili was stumped. What _should_ he say? How much of his heart dare he reveal? And was doing so in the middle of a crowd of dwarves the best place for such a confession? Quickly deciding it was not, he took her hand and began to lead her off the dance floor, out a side door and down a hall before anyone could say a word…not even Tauriel herself. When he stopped at another door and pushed it open, the elf lass gave a gasp of surprise.

"A garden!" she breathed, stepping forward with a look of awe. "How do you get things to grow within a mountain?" Her hands reached out and touched the leaves of the plants in the raised beds and branches of the potted trees as she walked past them, marveling at the amazing sight.

"We use light tubes," Kili revealed, pointing towards the ceiling. "Shafts were dug to the surface and filled with crystal, allowing sunlight to filter down and feed the plants. It's not a very big garden, but it was something that my grandmother enjoyed immensely, and when we began to restore the mountain, this was one of the places my Uncle Thorin wished to see brought back, to honor her memory."

"It's lovely…truly it is," Tauriel assured him.

"I thought you might like it," he said with a shy shrug of his shoulders. "When I imagine you, I always picture you among the flowers and the trees…for you belong amid growing things. Well, that and the stars you love so much."

"You remember that I love the stars?" Tauriel asked, turning to face him.

"I remember everything you ever told me, which to be honest is not that much since we hardly spent any real time together," he admitted sadly. "Just a handful of conversations conducted between prison bars and then a short one on the shores of Lake Town."

"Where you gave me this," the elf lass stated, reaching into the pocket of her formal gown and pulling out a black stone, holding it out so that he could see it. "Your promise stone."

"You _kept_ it?" Kili didn't mean to sound so shocked by this, for he had hoped she hadn't tossed it away after they parted.

"Of course, I did," she replied. "I had never received anything so _meaningful_ in all my life. I have treasured it ever since, and whenever I look at it, I think of you."

"I have nothing to remind me of you, save the stars, which I do look at quite often as well," he confessed, thinking he sounded rather foolish, and not like the dignified dwarf he wanted her to imagine he was. "Yet, I need no reminders…for your beautiful face is forever before my eyes, no matter where I go or what I'm doing."

"You flatter me greatly, Kili," she blushed, her eyes lowering to the floor.

"It's not flattery if it's the truth," he countered, stepping closer and taking her by the hands, feeling the warm stone within her palm. "But that was not the reason I brought you here, where I knew no others would be. I did it so I could ask you something."

At this, Tauriel raised her eyes and looked directly at him, anxious to hear what he might say.

"Yes, we are indeed alone," she pointed out, loving the feel of his hands in hers. "So, what did you wish to ask me?"

"I wanted to know…well…" he had been practicing this speech all evening, and yet now that it was here, he found himself fumbling for words. "I wanted to know if you…what I mean is…do you think dwarf women grow beards?"

Tauriel was highly confused, for this was not the question she had expected.

"You wish to know if I believe your females grow facial hair?" she clarified, wondering if this was some sort of code for something, or held a deeper meaning that she didn't understand.

"Yes, and whether or not you think by depriving a dwarf meat it will calm him down or not?" Kili pressed on. "Or, most important, if you are under some misconception that dwarves can't engage in interspecies marriages."

"Well," she began attempting to make sense of all this. "I have never heard of this idea that eating meat can cause a dwarf to become disorderly. And while I have seen several of your females and found them to have smooth skin on their faces, I can't say I ever believed otherwise before." Now came the most important part of Kili's question. "As for the belief that dwarves can only marry within their own kind…I can honestly say I hope that is _not_ a true fact."

"Oh, it's not!" Kili quickly interjected, wanting to set her straight as quickly as possible. "We are quite capable of having feelings, as well as bonding, with other species." He then furrowed his brow in thought. "Though I doubt very seriously any dwarf…or elf for that matter…would wish to do so with a cave troll or an orc."

"I highly doubt it as well," Tauriel nodded in agreement. "Yet was that the only things you wanted to tell me? Perhaps you might wish to answer my question from before?"

"I…I guess I wanted to say," here he faltered, nervous about how his words would be received. Suddenly he knew exactly how Fili felt. Wishing to tell Jade of his feelings, yet fearful of rejection. What a pathetic pair he and his brother made. Still, Kili knew he would not get a second chance at this and was determined not to waste the time he had been given. "I would say that our time together in the dungeons was some of the happiest I have ever spent. And I would do it all over again, even if it meant remaining down there for the rest of my life…just as long as you consented to continue visiting me as you once did."

"I have lived many more years than you, Kili," Tauriel responded, taking a step closer to where he now stood. "I have seen a little over six-hundred winters, and yet, I can honestly say that the few days that you were under my care in the dungeons were some of the most memorable I have ever spent as well. Yet, none of that now compares to these past few minutes alone with you here. I do not want them to end."

"Nor do I!" Kili gasped, pulling their clasped hands to his chest as he held them against his heart. "Tauriel, I told you once that you made me feel alive…that I wasn't afraid when I was with you. And I'm not! In fact, you make me so brave that I don't even fear what my uncle or my mother might say…or _any_ of the dwarves of Erebor. I love you, Tauriel of the Greenwood! I never thought it possible, but I do…I honestly do."

"I too feared speaking such words out loud, feeling that we were simply too different, and that there was far too much against us," Tauriel all but laughed, leaning down until her forehead rested against his, their eyes never leaving each other's. "Yet to hear you put voice to what sings in my own heart…I cannot hold it in any longer. I love you as well, Kili. _I love you!"_

They stood there for a few more moments, lost in the bliss of what they had just confessed. It was fast, it was foolish, and it was so right they couldn't find it in their hearts to regret a word. At last, Kili released her hands, now cupping her cheeks in his shaking palms as he tipped his head up so he could ghost his lips across hers, the exhilarating sensation sending shivers up his spine.

 _He was kissing Tauriel!_

 _._

 _._

Meanwhile, out in the banquet hall, Thorin and Thranduil had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. The two monarchs had run out of things to say, and with hardly anyone remaining at the table, there was no one to pick up the slack. Dis had tried several times to suggest a topic, but after a few terse words or grunts from the two males, she had given up.

"That's rather strange," Thranduil muttered at last, his eyes scanning the dance floor.

"What's that?" Thorin questioned, noting the way the blond elf's dark brows furrowed in suspicion.

"Your nephew and my captain…I am unable to locate them," he pointed out, nodding towards the group before them. "Where have they gone?"

Thorin sat up straight, his own eyes roving over the dancers, yet he too was unable to pick out Kili and the elf lass. When he turned and looked over at Dis, she too gave a shrug of confusion.

"They were there a minute ago," she assured him.

"I'm sure they just stepped out to get some air," Fili spoke up, not wanting his brother or the elf lass to get into any trouble…or cause an incident.

"More likely, the dwarf prince lured her away," Thranduil accused, swiftly rising to his feet. "Is this some sort of treachery?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" Thorin protested, also standing up and facing off with the elf. This caused many heads to turn their way, as both conversation and dancing came to a halt. "If anything, I'm willing to bet your captain has abducted my nephew!"

"Uncle, please!" Fili begged, reaching over as he attempted to calm his king down. "No one has abducted anyone!"

"I'm certain they are both fine, just currently out of our sight," Dis sighed, wanting to box the ears of both males over their stupidity.

"Then I insist they be located immediately!" Thranduil loudly demanded.

"Father, what is going on?" Legolas questioned, he and Jade having hurried over the moment their loud voices had reached their ears.

"Tauriel, she is missing!" the tall elf king informed him. "That stubby dwarf has taken her!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING STUBBY?" Thorin bellowed, not at all liking the idea of anyone insulting his kin, or his people.

"Please, we all need to calm down," Dis insisted, placing herself between her older son and the rude elven king. "I'm sure if we just go looking, we will find them in no time, all safe and sound. Then won't you all feel foolish for the way you've acted?"

"I'll go find them!" Fili spoke up in a hurry, not wanting everyone to make the search.

"And I will go with him," Legolas chimed in, unsure what they might find, but not wanting his father to be privy to it either way.

"We will all go, and that's final!" Thranduil ordered, unwilling to sit there with the dwarf king another moment, and stomping around the table he began to lead the way to where the couple had last been seen.

"This is _not_ going to end well, is it?" Jade whispered to Fili as he took her hand and hurried along.

"Where Kili's concerned…it hardly ever does," the blond prince sighed, his face creased in worry as he, Jade, his uncle, his mother, and the two blond elves all went in search of the missing pair.

* * *

 **Oh dear! RUN KILI! Or just keep kissing your elf...whatever you think is best.**

 **Jade was a sneaky dam, to be sure, and Legolas wholeheartedly agreed with her.**

 **Wonder what Fili's second courting gift is! Will he get a chance to give it to her?**

 **Poor Tauriel, trying to figure out what Kili was talking about when he asked about beards on dams and if she thought they went crazy when given meat. Not exactly the words of love she had been hoping for. But I think he made up for it with what he did and said next. Kili is smooooooth. ha ha.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Thanks for there being so many this time!**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** You are welcome! And tea? Nope, no tea...but they did end up in a room alone, does that count? Sadly, I don't think the door is locked though. Ha ha, I love what you said, Fili needs to dwarf up. Oh, he so does! Thanks.

 **Guest:** Oh no...starting a dwarf/elf incident is not the best way to endear yourself to Thorin, that's for sure. Kili feels like a kind pressing his nose against the candy store window...he can look, but he can't touch...oh, wait, I think he just touched! Thanks for the review.

 **Nala:** Yep, I am a fast poster...mostly because I have no patience to speak of. ha ha. And I do hope you never regret reading any of my stories...for any reason! I like Tauriel just fine, but I have also thoroughly enjoyed other stories where Kili falls for a dam. It's all in how it's written. I'm glad you like my pairing here. As for Fili and Jade...you will have to wait as long as it takes. They are so stubborn and blind it's maddening. The same thing happened to me when I first began reviewing as a guest. I was line "why do some of my reviews show up and others don't?" But I figured it out eventually, I think when I finally made an account and read the part where it said I HAD to moderate my reviews. ha ha. Live and learn. Thanks again. T.O.W.G.

 **Emrfangirl:** Oh yes, 'better than Kili' is not really a glowing review. ha ha. But as you just read, I think she did a fairly good job...now let's see if Kili can mess it up. ha ha. I will hire a minstrel immediately to play and sing that song all around Erebor, especially when Fili and Kili are nearby. Good thinking. Thanks.

 **Travelbug:** **Ch. 1** = I'm happy you found my story, and that you got hooked so quickly. Usually it takes me at least two or three chapters before I commit to a story. ha ha. **Ch. 2** = Oh yes, Fili knows she's the dam in his bed! And I too love writing adorable brotherly-love scenes for Fili and Kili. **Ch. 3** = But if Fili didn't take drastic action, then this story would have been very short. **Ch. 4** = They are Durins, nothing ever works out for them like they plan. Hints on Jade's family? Nope, can't give away my secrets. hee hee. **Ch. 5** = I see Thorin investing heavily in headache medicine. **Ch. 6** = Fili was so bummed that he didn't get to do the braiding thing, but maybe he will one day. And in this story I chose not to have dwarves have 'Ones' per say. They just court and fall in love like everyone else, but when they do, it's for life. **Ch. 7** = Fili IS having fun...Kili, not so much. **Ch. 8** = What do you mean he's going to START making a fool of himself...I think that ship has already sailed. ha ha **Ch. 9** = Yep, Fili and Kili had to be the most adorable dwarflings...otherwise Thorin would have murdered them in their sleep long before now, the scamps. ha ha. **Ch. 10** = Yes, I think Jade attempting to find all his daggers would be fun...for both of them. But I fear too much that she would cut herself in the process. And Kili WANTS a wife...but believes he can't have the one his heart desires. Poor thing. LOOK, all caught up! I will sit back and wait for more to answer. I hope you kept reading and found my messages in chapter 13 and 17. It was the only way I could let you know I was getting your reviews. Thanks. T.O.W.G.


	21. Chapter 21

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 **Hey, what is your top favorite Hobbit story on FF? I want to read something new, but feel like I've gone through just about every one out there. Send me your top (completed) pick so I can check it out and hopefully I won't have already read it. I don't care if it's Fili, Thorin or Kili featured as the love interest in the tale. And I don't mind a Female-Bilbo either, but seeing our boys with OCs is always fun. Thanks!**

.

 **Chapter 21**

 **~X~**

* * *

Kili couldn't believe it! He was kissing Tauriel, and she seemed to be enjoying it! This encouragement spurred him on, and within seconds they were both locked in a rather heated embrace, all the pent-up feelings they had been experiencing over the past months rushing out in a flood of emotion.

Eventually, they pulled back to catch their breath, yet the happy grin they both wore only encouraged them to come together once more, their second kiss even more satisfying than the first. This went on for some time, not wishing to call it quits or be parted from one another. Unfortunately, both were so wrapped up in the kiss that neither one heard the door to the gardens open…nor the sound of the many footsteps heading inside.

"BY THE VALLAR!" Thranduil gasped, catching sight of his captain and the dwarf prince. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

"That's what I would like to know as well!" Thorin all but roared, storming over as he took Kili by the arm and pulled him away from the elf lass. "Have you lost all your good sense?"

Both Tauriel and Kili were at a loss for what to say, looking around at all the accusing eyes leveled upon them. Granted, a few were more sympathetic than accusatory, such as Fili, Jade, and oddly enough…Legolas. Yet Thorin, Thranduil, and Dis did not look pleased at all.

"You had best have a good explanation for this, Kili!" Thorin demanded. "When we saw that you had disappeared from the dance floor, we came looking in fear that you had been taken prisoner! Yet, it would appear that something _else_ is going on entirely!"

"Is _this_ some plot to extract information about my kingdom's defenses?" Thranduil accused. "Has your nephew drugged my captain in order to get secrets from her?"

"NO! I would never!" Kili objected firmly, pulling away from Thorin and going to stand beside Tauriel. "My only intention for bringing her here was to speak privately…and to tell her of my feelings. That is all."

"YOUR FEELINGS?" Once more Thorin's voice rose to the level of shouting. "What feelings could you have for an elf, beside distrust and hatred?"

"Uncle, you don't mean that!" Fili broke in, looking over at Thranduil in apology. "We have since made peace with the Woodland Realm…do not undo all that with a few ill-placed words."

"Unfortunately, your king is correct, young prince," the elf lord countered, his face remaining cold and stern. "It is said that dwarves never forgive, and they never forget…perhaps it was foolish of me to ever assume that peace could replace the bad blood between our races."

"No! That's not true!" Kili protested. "Sure, there've been mistakes on both sides, but now is not the time to try and rehash old grievances. We should be building on the fact that we all stood together as one and fought against a common foe. Mordor and its dark forces are our enemies now…not each other!"

"He is right, Uncle," Fili chimed in, still hoping to salvage this night and not return to a state of war. "If we cannot put aside our past hatred during a time of peace…how can we ever expect to do so when war is upon us. The elves and the men are our allies, and we need to treat them as such…not with accusations and suspicion!"

This had everyone in the room silent, each one feeling rightly chastised by the two prince's words. Thorin and Thranduil appeared the most shamed after hearing such wisdom spoken by the young, and after a few grunts of agreement from the dwarf lord and a nod of approval from the elf king, everyone began to breathe a bit easier.

"However, this still does not explain what we just walked in on," Thranduil was quick to point out. "If this wasn't some elaborate plot to gain information, then what is it?"

"It _was_ a plot, I fear, Your Majesty," Jade spoke up, stepping forward with her hands laced together in front of her. "A plot devised by me alone…one meant to give Kili and Tauriel a few moments of privacy."

"For what purpose?" Dis questioned, shocked by the actions of her young protégé.

"So that I could at long last confess my love for Tauriel, Amad," Kili admitted proudly, looking up at the elf with a smile. "She is the maid who saved my life after that morgal arrow nearly killed me. She risked everything to come find me and heal my wound. She is also the one who rescued Fili from certain death when Azog had him held captive. If she hadn't shot that foul beast in the shoulder, my brother would not be alive today. For those two acts, I am forever in her debt because of it."

"If this is true, then I think we all owe her a debt of gratitude," Dis nodded, somewhat shocked to hear how this elf had saved her lads. "Still, repaying a debt does not require the giving of one's heart."

"Nor does it demand such intimate activities as we just walked in on!" Thorin added. "Unless of course that is some odd elf thing we know nothing about, and in that case, you are _not_ obligated to cow to their rules, Kili!"

"This has nothing to do with any of that!" Kili huffed, feeling as if everyone was ganging up on him. "I love her, pure and simply! And she loves me!"

"Say this isn't so, Tauriel!" Thranduil gasped, taking a step back at the mere idea. "How could you ever have feelings for this…this… _dwarf_."

"Very easily it would seem," the brave lass spoke up. "I did my best to deny it when love began to grow within my heart, but I was helpless. The more I fought it, the more miserable I became, until I knew that giving in was my only option. I waited months to see him again, wondering if the feelings would still be there, and they were…stronger than ever. He has confessed his love for me, and I for him. We will not be dissuaded, nor will we be parted."

"And if I forbid this union?" Thorin questioned, eyeing Kili sternly.

"Then I will leave Erebor and go live in the woods with Tauriel," Kili stated firmly.

"You presume much to assume that _you_ would be welcome in my realm, dwarf," Thranduil sneered, acting as if he would view it as an infestation worse than that of the spiders.

"Then Kili and I will leave together and find another place that _will_ accept us!" Tauriel stated, holding her head high.

"No! I will not see my family torn apart like this!" Dis cried out, placing her hand over her heart in fear. "I just got you all back, I will _not_ have you taken away from me again, Kili." She then turned and slapped Thorin hard across the arm, making him flinch. "Fix this! Now!"

"And exactly _how_ am I to do that?" Thorin demanded, seeing no solution to such a perplexing dilemma. "Your son wants to _marry_ an elf!"

"Then…let him," came Jade's suggestion. When all eyes turned to her, she cleared her throat and stepped forward. "I know I have no say in all this, and I'm pretty much the one to blame for the trouble my little plot got everyone into…but what would be so bad about letting Kili marry Tauriel? If they're in love, I say good for them!"

"And do you think the inhabitants of Erebor will simply accept their prince marrying an elf?" Thorin asked in a skeptical tone. "That they will not think that he has lost his mind, or that the line of Durin is cursed even more than we already thought it was? They would never permit it."

"Oh, I'm sorry, and here I thought that _you_ were king around here, Thorin Oakenshield," Dis pointed out. "If you were to accept this…why wouldn't they?"

"BUT I DON'T!" Thorin argued.

"Nor do I," Thranduil added.

"Well, you are going to have to get used to the idea or risk them leaving for parts unknown this very night!" Fili stated, crossing his arms over his chest in a sign of anger. "He is my little brother, and I will not see him tossed out on his ear after all he has done to see this kingdom reclaimed. He deserves better than that, Uncle, and you know it."

Once again, silence reigned supreme, with everyone looking at the two lovers, acting as if there could be no solution. Finally, Jade once again spoke up, her quiet voice betraying her trepidation.

"You know, Your Majesty…there _is_ a way that you could turn this into an advantage," she suggested. "I mean, King Thranduil did come here to form an alliance with the dwarves of Erebor. And what better way to solidify such a contract than through a marriage? I've heard of it being done many times in the past, as well as in the present." And while no one seemed to be jumping at her idea, when no one forcibly silenced her either, Jade pressed on. "Just think about how selfless you two would appear to your people, offering up your nephew and your captain of the guard to seal a pact of friendship between your two races. This way, Kili and Tauriel would not be looked upon as traitors…but as martyrs!"

"NO! ABSOLUTLY NOT!" Thorin fumed. "I swore long ago that my heirs would never be forced into a political marriage! I was nearly backed into such a fate myself once, and I will not have Fili or Kili enter into such a heartless bargain! They will marry for _love_ and no other reason!"

"But I _will_ be marrying for love!" Kili protested. "Please, Uncle, if you are not cruel enough to force me into a loveless marriage, why would you deny me a marriage to one I _do_ love? I choose Tauriel, above all the dwarrowdams in all the seven dwarf kingdoms. I beg of you to please understand…and give us your blessing."

"Jade's idea just might work," Dis said softly, laying her hand on Thorin's arm as she did her best to temper his rage. "If you two play it up like she said, you would both come off looking like true kings - ones willing to put the needs of their people ahead of their own. And if it makes my baby happy in the process…where is the harm?"

"Oh, I see a great deal of harm!" Thorin fussed. "First of all, we will have an elf inside Erebor…living among us! What if this is all some elaborate scheme so that she can spy on us for her king?"

"Tauriel is no spy!" Kili stated, springing to her defense. "I will vouch for her, and swear that she means no harm to me, or our kingdom."

"And I will swear to such a thing as well, King Thorin," Tauriel assured him, bowing her head in reverence to the dwarf lord.

"This is for the best," Dis broke in, glaring at her brother. "For not only will it fortify this treaty, it will save me from having to take off your head if you make my son leave this mountain in order to be with this…" Here Dis stopped and looked up at Tauriel a bit sheepishly. "I'm sorry, dear…what does your kind call your females?"

"I am an elleth, Lady Dis," Tauriel answered, touched that she would even care to ask.

"Yes…elleth, that makes sense," Dis nodded, turning back to Thorin. "As I was saying, only by allowing my son to court this elleth will you live to see another day, do you hear me Thorin Oakenshield?" When her forceful words earned a snort of humor from Thranduil, Dis turned on him next. "And as for you! You too will give your blessing on this, allowing Tauriel to do as she pleases, even if that means being with my son! Our two kingdoms need each other, whether you like it or not, and if _this_ is the way to achieve peace between our races, then you owe it to every one of your people to see that this match is supported!"

This time it was Thranduil who stood there in gaping silence, not having had a female speak to him like this since before his beloved wife had died…and oddly enough, he found he missed it.

"Now, how about the two of you go back to the banquet hall and discuss how _this_ will all come about, making certain that _both_ of you come out looking good in the matter?" Dis quite forcefully suggested. "Fili, you and Jade go as well, since it would not do for so many of the royal family to be absent during a diplomatic dinner. Meanwhile, _I_ will stay here and get to know my future daughter-in-law." Once more she glared at the two kings, pointing her finger at them in a warning gesture. "I'm certain if you two manage to put your stubborn heads together, we can have this settled immediately and announce the marriage tomorrow." She then waved her hands at the two stunned kings. "Now, shoo! This treaty isn't going to write itself, and I will not hear one word about you two disagreeing on a single point, understood?"

And while neither Thorin or Thranduil appeared overly eager to do as Dis instructed, neither were they foolish enough to argue with her. And with great reluctance, they turned and headed out, preparing to set to work on this ruse of a marriage treaty.

 _"[I knew inviting elves inside Erebor was a mistake,]"_ were Thorin's last grumbling words in Khuzdul as they left the room.

"You two as well," Dis urged Fili and Jade. "And do make a good show of there being nothing the matter, will you? I seriously can't believe how much subterfuge we've had to create to keep both of you happy and in good standing. This isn't a royal court, it's a royal circus!"

"Yes, Amad," Fili grinned, giving Kili a wink of approval before taking Jade by the hand and leading her towards the door. Yet, Jade tugged him to a stop.

"What about Prince Legolas?" she questioned, pointing at the tall blond elf, who had up till now remained silent. "Shouldn't he come with us?"

"Someone must remain and serve as a chaperone," he said with a wide smile. "The Lady Dis is all good and well, but she is not privy to the standards that elves are governed by when courting. _I_ will officially serve in this capacity for Tauriel…for unlike my father, I am happy that my friend has found her chosen mate." He then looked down at Kili rather thoughtfully. "Even if he is a short dwarf." When Dis opened her mouth to protest, he held up his hand. "No offense intended."

"And none taken…for I _am_ shorter than you, and I _am_ a dwarf," Kili grinned, only too happy to have at least one of Tauriel's company on their side. "So, tell me…what are some of your customs when it comes to courting? For I want to do this right." And taking Tauriel's hand in his, he brought it up to his lips as he kissed it reverently. "At last I have exactly what I want, and I don't plan on messing this up!"

"If I know you, and I think I do, little brother…you will," Fili laughed, earning him a stern glare from Jade. "However, by the way you two are looking at one another, I believe that you both will be more than willing to overlook a mistake or two." He then gave a formal bow to Tauriel, his adorable dimples showing as he graced her with a wide smile. "On behalf of the house of Durin, allow me to formally welcome you to Erebor…and soon into our family, Lady Tauriel."

"While I thank you very much for your gracious words, Prince Fili," the red-haired elleth began. "I assure you that I am no lady, just a simple Silvan elf of the Woodland Realm."

"Don't even attempt to talk them out of calling you that," Jade broke in with a roll of her eyes. "It took some getting used to for me as well, but they seem to believe it is a must and would go against custom to call you anything else."

"Oh…well, then I will not object further," Tauriel agreed, looking over at Kili with a nervous smile. "I would hate to inadvertently offend anyone, thus you may call me what you like."

"How about my goddess? Or my greatest treasure?" Kili suggested, loving the sound of such things on his lips. "My flame?"

"I think it best that we leave immediately before he gets any more nauseating," Fili whispered into Jade's ear, pulling her towards the door. "And if I recall…you did promise me a dance or two."

"That I did, Your Highness," she giggled, loving the way that Kili and Tauriel stared at each other with such affection in their eyes. It truly was infectious, and suddenly, Jade knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she wanted Fili to look at her the very same way… _forever._

* * *

 **Looks like all the smoochy-lovey-dovey stuff between Kili and Tauriel has nudged Jade in the right direction!**

 **And way to go Dis...she was not about to let her baby boy be sent away, and she laid down the law.**

 **Jade did a fine job of pointing out that a political marriage would be accepted more than a love match...and I think it just might work. IF the two kings can just stop fighting long enough for it to happen.**

 _ **And please remember to send me your top Hobbit FF pick! Thanks.**_

* * *

 **Guest Reviews**

 **Guest:** Wow...read ALL 20 chapters in one sitting? You need to get some sleep! Glad you are enjoying it. And yes, I too like stories that take us beyond the retaking of Erebor, and where our lads all live! And while I do favor Fili, I could never have a story about one without the other...they are kind of a package deal. ha ha. Thanks again for your kind review. T.O.W.G.

 **Aranel Mereneth:** True, when they found Jade and Fili, they were only laying on top of each other. Kili and Tauriel were joined at the lips! I'm sure Thorin will be shaking his head and wondering where he went wrong with those two lads. ha ha. But fear not, Dis took care of everything, and Thorin and Thranduil better hop-to and do as she says. Thanks.

 **Nala:** Yes, but I have found that Kili is far more impetuous than Fili...he takes his time, thinks about stuff, and then acts. where Kili just blurts things out. ha ha. They could each learn a bit from the other in ways of love I think. ha ha. Disaster was thankfully averted, as you just read. All thanks to Dis and Jade. Dams rule the mountain. ha ha. Thanks.

 **Emrfangirl:** Yeah...I could see Kili telling Fili "Man, you just have to grab Jade and kiss her, it's awesome, you should totally try it!" But sadly, as you pointed out, he might not live long enough to say such words. ha ha. And as you saw, it looks like Thorin and Thranduil tied for most upset. Dis adjusted well I think, and saved the day. Thanks.

 **Travelbug:** **Ch. 11** = Yes, sadly, Kili is feeling left out. He needs a woman of his own I think. ha ha. And Fili and Jade are playing their part well...maybe toooo well. **Ch. 12** = Yep, Kili is too sweet to hold a grudge and Jade is not about to let him feel left out. And yes, we will see Tauriel. And no, it was not something sinister...just a cave in. **Ch. 13**. = I'm happy you saw my message...I never know how fast a guest reader reads, so I hoped you would see it. And WHAT? Kili can't be a matchmaker? Well there goes his ambitions in life. ha ha. Oh yes, this was one time Fili would have happily gone along with his brother's silliness. "Yes, please, give her my hand in marriage...in fact, give her both!" **Ch. 14** = Yes, I must tease you. This is a slow burn kind of story...that and once they start smooching, they like it so much that I have to keep writing it all the time. ha ha. **Ch. 15** = Right! Who listens to Thorin...no one in his family, that's for sure! And her family history will be revealed...in time. *wink* **Ch. 16** = I think Thorin would swallow his tongue if he caught them kissing. ha ha. And yep, Cousin Brayden is on the way! **Ch. 17** = Of course everyone wants to protect Jade...she's likable. And Dwalin IS a big old softie! I just want to snuggle him...if he would let me. ha ha. **Ch. 18** = I thought it would be fun to have Brayden tell some stories. And yes, he likes Fili...who wouldn't? As for who her family is...well, we all hope in the end it will be Fili! ha ha. **Ch. 19** = Really, anything Jade comes up with HAS to be better than anything Kili would devise. ha ha. And yes, Jade is good with elves...but is she sneaky enough to pull one over on Thranduil? **Ch. 20** = NOW you are all caught up! Good for you! Sadly, now that means you have to wait for the last chapters like everyone else. *sad face* As you saw, everyone found them at once...so there was no way to salvage the situation. However, between Jade's suggestions, and Dis laying down the law, things worked out in the end. Thanks again for leaving reviews for EVERY chapter...not too many do that when they find a story with a bunch of chapters written...or one that is all finished. I really appreciate your diligence. T.O.W.G.


	22. Chapter 22

.

 **Thanks for your suggestions on stories I should read. Keep them coming, I need new things to entertain my mind when I'm not writing.**

.

 **Chapter 22**

 **Bâhzundushuh = Raven**

 **~X~**

* * *

When Fili and Jade arrived back at the banquet hall, they could see that Thorin and Thranduil were indeed sitting at the head table, speaking somewhat civilly over the matters of a political marriage. However, without any warning, Fili swept Jade towards the dance floor.

"Trust me, we do _not_ want to go anywhere near _that_ conversation!" he told her as they spun around in circles. "And let's just hope they listen to Amad and get it settled quickly…and before they kill one another."

"Oh, Fili…I did it again, didn't I?" Jade said in a worried tone, biting her lip as she leaned her forehead against his chest. "I made a mess of things and brought shame on the Durin line all over again. I only wanted to give Kili a chance to talk to Tauriel. I never meant to put Erebor and Mirkwood on the brink of war!"

Fili pulled away, tipping Jade's chin up as he looked her in the eyes, shaking his head in denial.

"You did no such thing!" he insisted. "If anything, you may have found a way to actually make _peace_ between our races. Uncle was never going to do so without a fight, even though he knows the importance of having your neighbors as your allies. Yet if Kili and Tauriel marry…there is _no way_ he can deny the alliance. If anything, you might have actually prevented a war!"

"I…I did?" Jade gasped, yet her eyes held doubt. "Are you sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

"If I was, which I'm not… _do_ you feel better?" he questioned hopefully.

This earned him a reluctant laugh and a smile from Jade, causing Fili's lips to turn up into a wide grin. He would happily spend the rest of his days making her smile.

"Believe me, you did _nothing_ wrong," he continued, wanting to make it clear in her mind. "In fact, I can't thank you enough for what you did do. I love Kili more than anything and seeing him so happy tonight was…was…well, better than I can even tell you. It hurt me deeply to see my little brother pining away like that and unable to do anything about it. But you found a way to make his dreams come true." _And with a single word from your lips, my lovely Jade, you could make mine come true as well,_ Fili thought to himself, yet dared not utter out loud.

"Do you truly think so?" Jade asked hopefully. "Will your uncle and the elf king actually allow such a match?"

"They will have to, or else risk the wrath of my mother," Fili laughed. "And if they thought Smaug was difficult to deal with, they won't know what hit 'em when Amad gets done with them."

"I would _not_ want to get on Dis' bad side, that's for sure!" Jade agreed. "She has done a great deal for me, and I owe her so much. Thus, I will do all I can to see that her wishes are carried out. Besides, the mountain would seem very quiet without Kili around."

" _Quiet_? Oh, yes, that's a mild way of putting it," Fili nodded, though the thought of his brother having been forced to leave Erebor gave him the cold shivers. "And I have you to thank for keeping him here with us, and not out traipsing across Middle Earth with his elf lass."

 _"Elleth,"_ Jade corrected him with a sly grin.

"Yes, _his elleth_ ," Fili chuckled. "You not only made my brother happy this night, you have also done me a great service by finding a plausible way for him to remain here with us, as well as keeping Tauriel with him. It would have killed me if he had left."

"No, it wouldn't," Jade pointed out. "For, knowing you as I do, I'm certain you would have gone with him."

This made Fili pause for a moment, then a laugh began to bubble up from his chest. She did know him…and very well it would seem.

"You're probably right," he admitted. "Still, doing things this way makes everyone happy." He then turned his head towards where Thorin and Thranduil appeared to be locked in a heated debate. "Well… _almost_ everyone."

"Maybe we should keep dancing and never stop," Jade suggested, cringing just a bit when one of the monarch's voices raised to a near shout.

"If it means keeping you in my arms, then by all means…let's dance the night away," Fili agreed, whirling her around the floor a few more times, causing her to laugh out loud with pleasure.

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A few minutes later their happiness was interrupted by Nori, stepping up beside the couple and pulling their attention to him.

"So, what's this I hear about your brother marrying an elf?" he hissed, his eyes wide with shock, if not disapproval.

"What? How did you…" Fili began, but cut himself off with a knowing sigh. Nori knew everything, and usually before most everyone else. Why not this as well?

"Is it true or not?" he demanded. "If so, I'll need to start damage control right away. So, tell me everything!"

Thus, with a roll of his eyes, Fili led Jade and Nori from the dance floor to a small out of the way table whereupon they filled the resident spy in. Once he had all the details, he gave a wicked smile.

"Political marriage…smart, lass," he complimented Jade on her idea. "This will go over well with our people, for no one would have ever bought that it was true love. Perhaps those of us who know the lad and recall how he'd lost his mind over the tall red-head during the quest, but no one else."

"Well, it _is_ true love, and in time everyone will simply have to deal with it," Fili insisted, ready to defend his little brother against the world.

"Sure, sure," Nori waved him off distractedly. "But until that day…this whole political union and martyrdom thing will placate the masses. Always helpful to put a positive spin on things, and the folks will just eat it up with a spoon!"

"They can eat it however they want, just as long as they swallow it whole," Fili stated firmly. "Now, if you will excuse us, I think it's time we checked on Thorin and Thranduil and heard how things are going."

"No need for that, lad," Nori said with a snort. "Look."

Fili and Jade turned to see that Dis had just approached the table herself, having returned to the banquet hall without them noticing. They all held their breath as she confronted the two kings, apparently demanding to know what they had come up with. And while they both still didn't appear to be happy about it, their answer seemed to satisfy the stubborn dwarrowdam. Giving a nod of approval, she spoke for a few more minutes, then excused herself, apparently turning in for the night.

"I should do the same," Jade informed Fili. "She might wish to talk about this…or yell at me…whichever one I deserve."

"You deserve to be congratulated," Fili insisted firmly. "Do no berate yourself in any way. You did a good thing."

"And good or bad, at least since you came, things have been much livelier, that's for sure!" Nori joked. "Now I'm off, for I must start the rumor mill and get as many on Kili's side as possible. Have a nice night." And with a final wink, he disappeared into the crowd.

"Nori is someone you don't want to have as an enemy either, is he?" Jade remarked, it being more of a statement than an actual question.

"No, he's not," Fili agreed, having come to respect the sneaky dwarf more than he thought possible. "And once you have him as a friend, you're set for life." He then let his eyes fall on the doorway that his mother had just exited. "Now, let me walk you back to your rooms, for it wouldn't do to allow my future betrothed make her way on her own."

"And we _must_ keep up appearances," she added, slipping her arm through his as the two left the banquet hall.

Yet, while to Jade their walk was done in companionable silence, Fili's mind was spinning. _Appearances be damned!_ This was no longer pretend for him, and it was high time Jade knew this as well. Still, he couldn't fight the fear that ate at him, wondering if such a confession would be well received…or rejected. He stewed about it all the way to her door, realizing that if it was going to happen, it would have to be now.

"Thank you for walking me, Fili," Jade smiled, not realizing the inner turmoil going on inside the prince.

"You are very welcome," he answered, clearing his throat as he summoned the courage to speak his mind. "I…I have something for you."

"You do?" Jade questioned, her eyes lighting up with delight. "What is it?"

"Your second courting gift," he informed her, pulling the small box from his pocket and holding it out to her. "It's not much, but I did make it with my own hands, and I hope it pleases you."

"I have no doubt it will," she assured him, taking the small wooden box from him and slowly opening it. What she saw made her gasp in shock. "Fili! It's…amazing!" Jade reached in and pulled a long, braided silver chain from the box, holding it up as it caught the lights from the wall sconces and flashed brightly as it twirled. At the center of the loop there was a larger link with two green stones on either side, and six more diamonds flanking them.

"It's for your pendant," he explained, gesturing to where he knew the item lay hidden beneath the neckline of her dress. "I noticed that you have it on a piece of cording, and while I'm certain it's strong enough to hold it, I thought this would be much more fitting for such a priceless memento."

"You…you made this for my medallion to hang on?" Jade was deeply touched, never having considered stringing it on anything sturdier than the piece of leather. Yet, as she looked at the amazing chain before her, she could feel her eyes misting up at the thoughtfulness of his gift. "Oh, Fili…thank you. Thank you so very much."

"It's made of mithril," he pointed out with pride. "So, you never have to worry about it breaking or tarnishing."

"Fili! Mithril is worth a king's ransom!" she protested, nearly dropping the chain in shock.

"Well, then who better to gift it to a lady than a prince?" Fili laughed, taking the item from her hand and holding his other out palm up as he waited for her to withdraw her pendant. Once she had, and had slipped the precious item from the cording, he expertly fastened it to the mithril chain, pleased with how it looked, sitting there surrounded by precious gems. "Now, that looks much better," he announced, stepping around behind her as he draped it around her neck.

Jade quickly pulled her hair aside, her hands shaking just a bit, and allowed him to secure the clasp. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin and she closed her eyes as a shiver of pleasure ran through her. Tonight had been full of surprises, both exciting and fearful, yet nothing could compare to what she was experiencing right now. Jade held her breath, praying that this moment would not end, and yet, the words Fili spoke next caused all time to stop.

"Jade," Fili whispered, stepping around until he was standing in front of her once more, though this time far closer than he had been before. "The other day I asked you a question, and while you never got a chance to answer, I was truly hoping that you might have at least been thinking about it," he continued, leveling his piercing blue eyes directly at hers. "I don't want to pressure you, nor do I want you to accept if it's not what you want, but I need to know Jade. Would you…would you please allow me to kiss you?"

There, he'd said it at last. Now, all she had to do was deny him or bless him with what he desired most. How would the next few moments end? Fili had to know.

Jade stared at the blond prince, unable to believe her ears…he had asked her again! This time there was _no_ mistaking his request, no possible way she could misunderstand what he was asking. There was no one nearby to impress, no one they needed to fool into thinking they were a couple. Fili was asking simply for the sake of wanting a kiss…or at least that's what she hoped. But either way, she was tired of denying her feelings and if it was a kiss Fili wanted, it was a kiss Fili would get! So, summing up all her courage, Jade leapt forward, throwing her arms around Fili's neck and pressed her lips to his in the most urgent and unskilled manner possible.

Fili was nearly bowled over by Jade's sudden enthusiastic display of affection, and for a moment he almost forgot to breathe. Yet, within seconds, his brain caught up with his body and he realized if he didn't do something besides just stand there, this was going to end far sooner than he wanted. So, letting his own arms snake around her shapely waist, he put his heart and soul into the kiss, responding with near desperation in hopes of getting his feelings across.

Oh, she felt divine, a perfect fit against him and it was as if her lips had been fashioned by Mahal himself only for him. This was what he had dreamed of… _this_ was all he had ever thought it could be between a lad and a lass. Kissing had been a game up until now, something to play at as he flirted with a dam or two in his past, but at this very moment, he knew all of that was behind him. He had found the one he wanted to be with for all times. He had just had his very last first kiss…ever.

Correction…he was still _having_ his very last first kiss, and if he had his way it would never end! Slowly, Fili backed Jade against the door, loving how her body molded perfectly to his, as well as how her fingers were now fisting in his hair and pulling him down to her in an almost desperate manner. She was fire and ice, wind and rain, sky and earth all at once and Fili couldn't get enough.

Jade too was lost in the sensations brought on by the touch of Fili's scorching lips. She figured that had to be what was causing this wave of heat to wash over her, starting at the point where they were joined and spreading throughout every inch of her right down to her toes. Jade had never been kissed like this. Never. And if she had known how wonderful it would be, she would have taken the opportunity to do so that day in the healing halls, as well as in the grass when Fili had asked before. Oh, what she had been missing!

Still, she had very little idea what this all meant. Yes, it was wonderful. Yes, it felt right. But what did it _mean?_ What would happen the moment they parted? She could already feel her face heating up from embarrassment, imagining the awkward moment to come. Had Fili felt what she had, or would he be unimpressed, playing it off as some joke or test to see if they could pass as a believable couple? She was both afraid to end the kiss…and afraid to keep going. She just prayed that he would fully explain himself when it did at last come to an end. But until it did…Jade intended to enjoy every second of it.

"JADE! FILI!" came a joyful voice, shouting their names from down the hall, causing the two to break apart as if they had been caught doing something wrong…which they weren't. "CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?" It was Kili, of course, whooping and hollering as he leapt in the air and pumped his fist wildly. "I'M COURTING TAURIEL!"

By now he had reached the two and without noticing he had interrupted a very important moment, he swept Jade into his arms and spun her around.

"I'M IN LOVE! I'M IN LOVE AND SHE LOVES ME BACK!" he continued to shout, setting the now laughing Jade down and doing the same thing to his brother…though unable to hoist him up as high has he had the more slender dam. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU BOTH!"

"Yes, yes," Fili chuckled, his brother's enthusiastic nature rubbing off. "I was there, I know what happened."

"And we are both very happy for you, Kili," Jade broke in. "Truly we are."

"I owe it all to you Jade!" he continued, pulling her to him in a big hug. "I thought for sure I would be packing my bags and leaving the mountain with her this very night, but now I'm allowed to court her and even marry her! Uncle said so! I have his permission!"

"That's wonderful, Naddith! When's the big day?" Fili was honestly overjoyed for his little brother.

"Not for three months," Kili said with a hint of disappointment. "But that's because of elf traditions and whatnot. Something about the moon and stars' position in the night sky or some nonsense, but I honestly don't care what the reason is. It could all be due to some little bug that lives in a tree! I'm just thrilled I get to marry her at some point!"

"Three months isn't a very long time, you know," Fili reminded him. "It will barely give Amad enough time to work up a wedding. Time will go by faster than you think."

"It couldn't go fast enough for me!" Kili grinned. "I'd marry her tonight if they let me."

"I think it would be wise to have Thorin and Thranduil announce it first before you go taking her hand and all," Fili laughed. "Don't appear too eager or all of Nori's well-planned gossip will go to waste. You must give the appearance that this is a political marriage, not something you actually desire."

"BUT I DO!" Kili shouted, once more spinning around in glee. "I desire it, and her, more than air or water…or even ale!"

"Now _that_ is something you _must_ keep to yourself," Fili hissed in a comically dramatic way. "That's pure sacrilege!" This caused the two brothers to burst forth in laughter once more, unable to contain their joy.

"What is going on out here?" came the voice of Dis, who's head poked out her own door a few feet down the corridor. When she saw who was making all the racket, her frown was replaced by a smile. "Oh, it's you."

"That's right, Amad! It's me! Your son, the one who's in love and can't wait to marry!" Kili announced.

 _Which could easily be me as well, little brother,_ Fili said to himself, his eyes drifting unconsciously to Jade.

"And while I'm very happy for you, my little Bâhzundushuh, I doubt everyone from here to the peak of the mountain needs to hear it…especially at such a late hour," she scolded gently. "Now, either lower your voice, or take it somewhere else…a loud pub or something."

"That's a great idea!" Kili agreed, throwing his arm around Fili. "Care to celebrate with me, Nadad? We could go find Dwalin, Bofur, and Nori, making a real party of it! What do ya say?"

Fili was torn. On one hand, his little brother didn't get engaged every day, and drinking with him over the event _did_ seem the socially acceptable thing to do. And yet, he desperately wanted to talk to Jade about the kiss they had just shared and find out if she was harboring similar feelings for him as he did for her. Yet, before he could make up his mind, his mother solved the problem for him, just not in the way he had wanted.

"Jade, may I speak to you?" Dis asked, gesturing for her to follow her into her chambers. "I won't keep you long, for I know it's late, but your knowledge about elves and some of their customs would truly come in handy right about now."

"Oh…yes, of course, Lady Dis," Jade stammered, also reluctant to let Fili get away without talking things through.

"Excellent," she nodded, turning back to her two lads. "Now off with you, and have fun, but remember there will be official announcements to make tomorrow, so don't you go drinking too much, you hear?"

"Yes, Amad!" Kili grinned, already planning to do just that.

"I'll make sure he limits it to one or two kegs," Fili said with a roll of his eyes.

"See that you do," Dis smiled, loving her lads so very much. While it still worried her greatly that Kili would jump into such a commitment this quickly, she had to admit that she was not there when the two had first met. She was not privy to the interactions, or the life-saving acts this elf had performed on her son, so who was she to judge? Still, she found it warmed her heart to see her youngest so happy…and to think, it only took one pretty elleth to make it all possible. Who would have guessed? "Come along Jade, let's leave them to their frivolity."

So, it was, as Jade was led into Dis' chambers, and Fili was swept away by his brother, they exchanged one last longing glance at each other. Both silently wishing things had not ended so abruptly…or at all.

* * *

 **And there we have it folks...yet another interruption! But at least this time they DID get the kiss in! And I am not counting when Kili and the lads broke in on their picnic as an official interruption...so this would officially be Kili's shot at it. Hmmmm, now, who is left?**

 **Jade also accepted his second courting gift! Only one more to go in order to make it a done deal.**

 **So, Nori is on the job...and you can bet he will get it done with flying colors! He don't mess around.**

 **Looks like the wedding is on! Kili has his heart's desire. Now Fili needs his.**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Travelbug:** Yes, them walking in on the kiss sure had their jaws dropping to the floor. ha ha. And Jade is learning the fine art of politics...and how to get her way. Was this enough Jade and Fili fluff for you? How about madness and cuteness? I do love to make a reader laugh, as well as say Awwwwww. ha ha. Thanks!

 **Guest B:** Thanks for your ultra kind words, it's nice to know my story can warm a reader's heart. Trust me when I say that your reviews do the same thing to mine. I appreciate that you distinguished yourself by signing your review with a B. Thanks very much. T.O.W.G.

 **Guest:** And thanks for giving me reviews to respond to! ha ha. I probably had Kili and Tauriel get together too fast, but this IS a Fili story, and those two already had the beginning of their romance in the Mirkwood dungeons, so no need to rehash all that. And Dis will do anything to make sure her lads are happy, even if it means marrying an elf. ha ha. Thanks for adding LSoD to your favorite list, and that you admire it's depth and width...but really, I would think it's LENGTH is it's biggest attribute. ha ha. As for your other suggestions, I have read half of them, reading Journey Ahead right now, and will check out the rest as time permits. Thanks for all your suggestions, I can't wait to read something new. Oh, and since I like to be able to decipher who is who among my guest readers...I am going to be calling you **Guest 101**...Ok? I hope you like your new name, and if not, feel free to change it. ha ha. T.O.W.G.

 **Emrfangirl:** Yep, already read that one, so it looks like we have similar tastes. If you think of any others, do let me know! Thanks as always. T.O.W.G.

 **Guest:** Thanks for enjoying my story, and considering it cool. I appreciate your readership. If you review again, I have chosen to name you **Guest C**...for Cool. OK? Thanks. T.O.W.G.


	23. Chapter 23

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I wanted to say thank you for your story suggestions, I plan on checking out every one of them (that I haven't already read, that is.) Here is one for you to look at if you would like one of my suggestions.

 **Erebor 3022: Cursebearers Story 1 (revised) by summerald**

Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed. It is a Kili/OC story, but with Fili and some of the gang front and center. Sadly, Thorin did not make it through the battle of five armies, but I love every inch of this story and it's sequels to pieces. Try it, you might like it!

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 **Chapter 23**

 **Namarie, Hiril = Farewell, Lady**

 **Shomakhalinh - Guardian Lady or chaperone**

~X~

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"Is he really in love, Jade?" Dis had finally begged to know after nearly half an hour of hedging around what she really wanted to talk about. "Does my Little Raven truly have feelings for her?" She gave a sigh and looked down at the cold cup of tea in her hand. "I can live with the fact that she is an elf, honest I can, but only if I know for a fact that she is what's best for him and that he loves her with all his heart."

"I can't read minds or hearts," Jade stated, doing her best to sound reassuring. "And yet, I can tell you that Kili has spoken about her in such a way that it leaves very little doubt in my mind that Tauriel is the one and only female for him."

 _"When?_ When did he tell you these things, and why has he never mentioned her to me?" The hurt in Dis' voice was unmistakable, causing Jade to speak quickly.

"During our time in the cave-in," she told her friend and mentor. "I don't think he would have said anything to me at all, but we were kind of stuck together, believing there was a chance we might not make it out alive. In such times one often feels the need to unburden themselves, saying things they might not normally say. I'm sure, given time and the opportunity he would have confided in you as well."

"Perhaps," Dis nodded, not appearing so hurt any longer for not being in the know. "Still, these are not exactly things a lad might wish to share with his mother. If Flinn had lived, Kili might have gone to him for advice, yet even that is only a guess. I know for a fact he would not have told Thorin, given his long-standing dislike for elves, but I'm certain that Fili knew all along. Those two share everything. I used to joke, saying that if Fili caught a cold, it would be Kili who sneezed."

"They are very close," Jade agreed, a warm smile coming to her face. "I envy them that bond. I never had siblings, so I feel like I missed out in that department."

"Yes, I too treasure my relationship with Thorin, as well as what time I did have with Frerin," Dis lamented, thinking of her fallen brother. "And even if they both drove me to distraction at times – with Thorin still doing so – it would have been a lonely childhood without them." She then leaned over and placed her hand on Jade's. "Yet, you have us now. _We_ are your family, Jade, and nothing can ever change that as far as I'm concerned. Even if you and Fili still intend to break off your pretend courtship, I will still always see you as the daughter I never had. And my sons can become your brothers at heart."

Jade knew that Dis was being kind, but the idea of Fili acting in a _brotherly_ fashion towards her made her stomach turn. Fraternal affection was not what she felt for Fili and she knew she never would. And after the kiss they just shared, there would be no going back for her. She must have made some sort of face, for Dis set her cup down and looked directly into Jade's eyes, searching for answers.

"Jade…is there something that you would like to tell me?" Dis prodded. "Something about Fili perhaps?"

Jade's face turned red and she looked down at her hands, biting her lip to hold back the goofy grin she was certain was fighting to be let loose. When she found she couldn't speak without bursting into giggles, she simply nodded.

"I KNEW IT!" Dis crowed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Praise Mahal!"

"Dis! Not so loud!" Jade hissed. "And it's nothing serious…or at least I don't think it is. I mean, Fili and I only kissed once…"

"HE KISSED YOU?" This the dam shouted even louder, making Jade squirm uncomfortably, as well as blush even harder.

"Well…no, _he_ didn't kiss me," she confessed, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. "I…I kind of kissed _him_."

This piece of news had Dis opening her mouth to speak, shutting it, and then opening up once more, but no words came out. In the end, she simply stared at Jade, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"Don't look at me like that," the younger dam all but begged. "He asked me to! Or at least he asked if he could kiss me, so it's not like I acted on my own."

"It matters not who initiated it, the only thing I want to hear about is how you felt about it," Dis explained, still grinning from ear to ear.

"I…I liked it," Jade confessed quietly. "And truth be told, I didn't want it to end."

"Then why did you?" she questioned.

"Because Kili came running up, shouting about how he was engaged and kind of killed the mood," Jade said with a bit of a huff.

"You mean this happened _tonight_?" Dis gasped. "As in just a bit ago…in the hallway?" She then slapped her palm against her forehead in mortification. "And then I pulled you in here to talk to me! Oh, Jade, I'm so sorry! I had no idea."

"It's all right, truly," Jade told the worried dam. "But once again, we didn't get a chance to _talk_ about it. So, I have no idea what Fili is feeling, or what he now thinks of me for my brazen actions."

"Oh, I can guess," Dis all but giggled, her eyes bright with mischief.

"Well I can't!" Jade moaned, leaning forward and burying her face in her hands.

"Then what do you _hope_ he is thinking?" the matron prodded.

"That I'm not some dam with loose morals…that I didn't completely mess things up with him…that I wasn't a horrible kisser?" Jade answered, her tone now nervous.

"No one in their right mind would consider you a dam of loose morals, Jade," Dis huffed. "And if he was the one who requested the kiss, then I would imagine you only aided to the situation, not messed it up. As for you being a horrible kisser, well…I guess that is something the two of you will have to judge, since I was not privy to the incident myself." She then leaned forward and once more patted the lass on the arm affectionately. "The bottom line is, you have nothing to be embarrassed, or afraid, about. And if I know my son, which I think I do, he is just as anxious to speak with you about all this as you are. You two simply need time to sort out your feelings. But whatever you decide…whatever comes of this, you must know that my feelings for you will never change. I value your friendship, Jade, and you will always have a home with me, no matter what."

"Thank you, Lady Dis!" Jade all but sobbed, falling into the princess' eager embrace and holding on for all she was worth. She honestly didn't know what she would do without Dis' support and guidance. The past six months had been full of so many new experiences, that often Jade had felt overwhelmed. Yet through it all, Dis had been her rock, her one true north, and the younger dam would never be able to repay her kindness.

"There, there," she soothed, waiting until Jade had fully composed herself before pulling back and wiping at her tears. "You've had quite a long and busy day, and I think it's time you headed off to bed. Tomorrow will be full of announcements, celebrations, and long hours of negotiations, of which your presence has been requested. So, get some sleep, and don't you worry a bit over Fili or that kiss. Things have a way of working themselves out in the end. You'll see."

"You've never steered me wrong before," Jade chuckled, loving how Dis could always make things better with just a few words. "I'll take your advice again, and hope for the best."

"You do that," Dis nodded. "Now, off with you. And I will see you in the morning, my dear."

So, with a final word of farewell, Jade headed back to her room, feeling much better.

Once the door was shut, Dis gave a quiet little squeal of delight and fell back against the sofa cushions, a look of utter glee on her face.

"They kissed!" she giggled. "I might be getting _two_ daughters-in-law!"

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Meanwhile, down in one of the livelier pubs, another keg of ale was tapped, and mugs were once more being filled to the brim.

"TO KILI!" Bofur shouted, raising his frothy drink towards the grinning prince. "May his sword never rust, and his beard grow long…or at least grow a little!" His last little dig was met with a round of laughter and groans, but everyone drank deeply.

"TO TAURIEL!" Fili next called out. "May she never realize what a horrible mistake she had just made by giving her hand to my idiot brother!" This time the jest was met with an elbow to his side, making a good portion of his ale slosh out onto the table. "Hey, Kili! It's a crime to waste such fine drink as this!"

"Then shut your yap and just be happy for me," Kili scolded good-naturedly, unable to stop grinning no matter what was said.

"I am happy for you, Naddith," the blond prince assured him, throwing his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Truly I am."

"Thanks, Nadad," Kili smiled, looking around the table at his friends. "And I thank you all for your support as well. I'm a dwarf in love, and the next three months can't pass quickly enough to my way of thinking."

"We all knew you were a gonner the way you mooned after her in Mirkwood, laddie," Dwalin laughed, also taking a deep swig of his ale.

"Aye, and after spouting all that sappy stuff about how she walked in starlight when you were lying delirious on the table…well, it was sure money that you would be plighting your troth sooner or later," Bofur assured him.

"Sure money?" Nori gasped, spitting out a bit of ale he had just put in his mouth. "Then why wasn't I taking bets on this months ago?"

This had everyone laughing loudly, slapping each other on the back and nearly falling out of their seats. And through it all, Kili kept grinning, everyone continued drinking…but Fili couldn't stop thinking about Jade and the kiss they had just shared.

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Just as Dis had predicted, the following day was indeed jam-packed. First came the early morning breakfast with the visiting elven king and his entourage, where Kili and Tauriel sat side by side - and if Jade's eyes were to be believed, she even spied them holding hands beneath the table. After that, came the long and drawn out negotiations over the marriage contract. And while Dis had ordered both Thorin and Thranduil to iron things out the night before, there were still many, many points that needed to be decided upon.

The wedding would take place in three months when the moon was absent from the sky, and certain beloved stars would be at their height and brightest in the night sky. Thorin had insisted that the ceremony take place in Erebor yet conceded that it would be held on the battlement, thus allowing the event to take place under the stars. Thranduil informed Kili that he must craft two rings of silver, which the couple would wear for the first year of their marriage, whereupon they would then be replaced with ones of gold to signify their full commitment to the union. Not to be upstaged by elven traditions, Thorin also demanded that Tauriel agree to wearing a courting braid, followed by a marriage braid and bead after the wedding. The elleth was only too happy to oblige, and thus the negotiations continued.

Jade did her best to help temper things during the meeting, offering to explain things when the language barrier seemed an issue. Yet not understanding very little of Khuzdul, she often found herself looking to Dis or Fili to translate a word or two into Western before she could then explain them to Thranduil in Sindarin. So, it was, that by the end of five long grueling hours, a contract of marriage was signed. Now all that was left was to inform the dwarves of Erebor…something that Thorin was not looking forward to.

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"Just remember, Uncle," Fili had whispered into Thorin's ear as they stood on the balcony overlooking the main hub of the mountain, where all the dwarves had gathered upon order of the king. "Your attitude towards this marriage will influence all those around you. So, if you act as if it is a death sentence for Kili…no one will see this as a good thing."

"Something that I am still not convinced of myself," Thorin pointed out. Yet, he gave a heavy sigh, nodding his head in understanding. "Yet, for the good of all, and the happiness of Kili, I will put aside my personal feelings and publicly support this union."

"Thank you, Uncle," Fili smiled, patting him on his back. "You're doing the right thing."

"I certainly hope so," Thorin said, taking a deep breath before he stepped to the railing.

As expected, Thorin's words were at first met with shocked silence, all eyes looking at the young prince as if he had been asked to leap to his death from the tip of the mountain. Yet, little by little, the sound of applause grew until all those in the main hub were demonstrating their acceptance to the political match. Most seemed truly impressed that the dark prince would sacrifice his happiness for the good of his people and agree to wed an elf of all things. Still, Kili and Tauriel noticed none of this, the two only having eyes for each other.

However, if the dwarves of Erebor had been surprised by the idea of the political match, it was Thranduil and his fellow elves who were bowled over by Thorin's next words.

"And as a token of good faith, between the mountain and the woods," the dwarf king began, his tone rather gruff despite his best efforts to sound gracious and hospitable. "I do hereby return the White Gems of Lasgalen to their rightful owners, counting any and all past debt over their crafting paid in full by the elves aid in retaking our mountain." He then turned and signaled for Balin to bring out a chest made of wood and iron, one the king of Mirkwood had not laid eyes upon in a very long time. "We discovered these in the vaults not long ago and thought that now would be a good time to see them returned."

Thranduil's eyes grew wide as the chest was opened before him, displaying the necklace he had long ago requested the dwarves craft for his late wife. It had been long been a bone of contention with him that they had fallen into the clutches of the great dragon and lost to him…or so he had assumed. Yet, here they were, once more being offered to him, their brilliance and glory nearly taking his breath away.

However, as he reached out his hand to touch them, the lid of the chest was slammed shut, causing Thranduil to pull back in shock. Did the dwarves mean to cheat him once again? His eyes flew to Thorin, yet in his gaze did not hold animosity or gold sickness, as his grandfather Thrór once did…no, if anything, there was an odd touch of humor.

"Here you go, Your Majesty," Balin bowed, holding the chest out to him with a slight grin. "I think these will be happy to be back in your possession." And once the chest was safely in the elf's grasp, the white-bearded dwarf stepped back without any further efforts to withhold the treasures.

"It would appear that the humor of dwarves is rather twisted," Thranduil commented in a low tone, knowing now that Thorin had crafted the exchange to mirror the previous one long ago…to a degree.

"A king has so few opportunities to engage in wit that it would be a shame to waste the opportunity, don't you agree?" Thorin replied, the slight tug at the corners of his lips the only indication that he had found this amusing. He then raised his voice and addressed all present. "Thus, with the bonding of our two kingdoms in marriage, and the return of the treasures of Mirkwood, I do hereby declare the alliance between our kingdoms good and sound."

A great cheer rose through the crowd, and as Thorin looked over at Thranduil, still clutching the chest as if he feared it would be snatched away at any moment, he knew he had done the right thing. Not only for his people, but for Kili as well. His sister-sons had fought, bled and nearly died while serving him and their quest for Erebor, it was now the least he could do to see that they were happy. And if that red-haired elleth was what Kili wanted…then so be it. He then let his eyes drift over to where Fili and Jade stood side by side, wondering if this pairing was what his heir's heart desires as well. Only time would tell.

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After this came an evening of celebration, where even though they were seated side by side, Jade and Fili were never once left alone so that they could speak about what happened the night before. Legolas had taken Jade aside for a bit, determined to impart all the rules of elven courtship to her since he would be required to depart the next day with his father, leaving none of his own people there to play chaperone. Jade listened carefully and promised the Woodland prince that she would shoulder the duty with all seriousness and care.

Thus, by the time the party was over, and all the guests were heading out, Jade was so exhausted that all she wanted to do was go to bed and sleep for a week. Tauriel had been granted a room in the royal wing, thus she and Fili escorted the newly engaged couple back together, once again leaving them no time to converse in private. Both Fili and Kili placed chaste kisses on the back of their lass' hands before bidding them goodnight. And while Jade tried her best to hide her disappointment, as well as a yawn or two, she could see that Fili was feeling much the same. They would _have_ to find time to be alone…and soon.

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The next morning, Thranduil, Legolas, and their soldiers departed for Mirkwood, assuring the king of Erebor that they would return in three months' time to prepare for the wedding. In the meantime, the elven king charged Thorin with the protection and acceptance of his captain among his people, threatening war should she come to any harm. With a great deal of indignation, the dwarf king assured the elf that he would personally guarantee her safety, though her happiness he left in the hands of Kili.

"Just make certain that her happiness is the only thing his hands are allowed to handle," Thranduil warned, eyeing the roguish prince with narrowed eyes.

"On my honor as a Son of Durin," Kili assured him with a deep bow.

"I will hold you to that," Thranduil threatened, before taking his leave.

Legolas then stepped forward and placed a brotherly kiss upon the red-haired elleth's cheek.

" _Namarie, Hiril_ ," he whispered. "May the sun and moon shine upon your lovely smile until we meet again."

"Thank you, My Lord Prince," she responded, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You have ever been my loyal friend and confidant. My happiness is made double knowing that you rejoice for me."

So, with a final wave of farewell, the elf king and his son departed for Mirkwood, much to the relief of Thorin. Still, one elf remained behind, and would soon be joining his family…an idea that would take quite a bit of getting used to. Yet, for Kili he would try.

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Much to Kili's amusement, Fili had now been assigned to play Shomakhalinh for him and Tauriel. Though at least his brother would have his own lady there to keep him otherwise occupied, not leaving him as bored as Kili had been. Thorin had questioned the wisdom of this arrangement, pointing out that it was much like having the fox guard the hen house, so to speak. Yet, Dis waved him off, saying it was quite respectable, and that her lads would never do anything to dishonor the reputations of either Jade or Tauriel. However, she made certain that they heard her statement, which was accompanied by a stern motherly look that sent shivers of fear down Fili and Kili's spine. Oh, no…they would be on their _best_ behavior.

"They do make a lovely couple," Jade whispered to Fili as they trailed behind the mismatched pair the following day.

"Even with the height difference?" Fili questioned, tipping his head to the side a bit and squinting at the back of his brother and his love.

"I think it's adorable," Jade grinned. "And not many males would feel as comfortable in such a position, but Kili appears not to notice at all."

"Yes, it would seem so," the blond prince nodded. "Kili's never been one to care about what others think. You must have guessed that he was teased mercilessly about his lack of a beard back in Ered Luin before we left to reclaim Erebor. He would just smile and laugh right along with them, letting any jests roll right off his back. I've always admired him for that, for I could never be that way. When he wasn't around, I usually punched the offending party in the nose if they even mentioned my brother or his lack of a beard."

"You were trying to protect him," Jade said in his defense.

"Yes, but I would have had a lot fewer bruised knuckles if I could only turn the other cheek like Kili does," Fili said with a sigh, recalling some of the hard-headed dwarves he busted his fists upon over the years. "And really, it wasn't the best example of princely manners either."

"Yet, I'm certain that they all knew you were willing to stand up for what was right and defend those you cared for," she pointed out with a warm smile. "And those are princely qualities to be sure."

"How is it that you can so easily turn a negative into a positive?" Fili laughed, feeling his heart swell with affection over her kind words. "You always know just what to say."

"Oh, no, not always," she chuckled. "But I'm happy I could be of assistance in this case."

Fili had been wanting to get Jade alone for the last two days to speak about their shared kiss, but with Kili now courting Tauriel, there had not been a spare moment. He was starting to become desperate, and knew he had to make his move soon, or literally explode from impatience. Once again, not the most endearing quality for a prince, but this was an emergency.

"Go riding with me," Fili suddenly spoke up, taking hold of Jade's hand and bringing her to an abrupt halt.

"I would love to," Jade smiled, having always enjoyed that activity. "When?"

"Right now," he insisted.

"Now? But I thought we had to chaperone Kili and Tauriel," she protested. "Or do you intend for them to go with us as well?"

"NO!" Fili almost shouted, lowering his voice when his brother and the elf turned around to look at them questioningly. "No, I want it to just be the two of us…and a guard or two, since I'm certain Uncle wouldn't let us out of the mountain without an armed escort." When Jade appeared hesitant, he pressed on. "We can get Amad to watch over those two for a bit, and Thorin has been on me about making a trip to Dale to check on a few of our interests there. Say you will come. Please?"

"Of course I will…just as long as we get someone to stay with Kili and Tauriel," Jade agreed with a wide smile. "He was kind enough to follow us around, so we can't just take off and leave him high and dry."

"Great!" Fili grinned, giving a shout to his brother and calling the two of them back to tell him of their plans. At first Kili _did_ wish to go with them, but one stern look from his nadad and the dark prince changed his mind rather quickly.

* * *

 **No, Kili...you can't come!**

 **And look at how sweet Kili and Tauriel are together, and they got all the wedding arrangements ironed out.**

 **Thorin has a very sick sense of humor, one that Thranduil does not appreciate...but it made me laugh. ha ha.**

 **Now, let's see if they can get some talking done on the ride to Dale!**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Yep, only Thorin to go...we will see what, and if, he interrupts. He might be the only one smart enough not to...but don't hold your breath. ha ha. Thanks.

 **Nala:** Awww, that was nice of you. I hope you get un-busy soon, but in the meantime, have fun!

 **Guest B:** Nice to put a name to several reviews! And here I thought I had THREE different readers. ha ha. Didn't know you had a split personality, did you? I will stick with Guest B then, since you named yourself that first. Yes, The Journey Ahead is a very good read, I had started it not long before I asked for suggestions, and am only a few chapters away from being done! I have enjoyed it very much. I will check out your other suggestions in time. If the snow will just melt, I think I will have a fine week, thanks! I appreciate your kind reviews.

 **Emrfangirl:** Yes, it was a nice one, and best of all it was finished! It was also the number one reviewed story on this forum...so it was the one I was determined to beat! ha ha. I think I only did so due to the abnormal size of my LSoD though. ha ha. Yep, there has been a kiss! And no, Thorin has NOT interrupted them...yet! Kili is over the moon happy for sure! And I think it's silly to have Legolas upset about their pairing, but I think that most keep his anger up just so that he and Gimli can have that rocky start of their friendship and all. But I prefer him happy about his friend finding love. Thanks!


	24. Chapter 24

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 **Chapter 24**

 **~X~**

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Thus, not half an hour later, Fili and Jade were mounted on ponies and heading down the road to Dale. Thorin had indeed insisted that a guard accompany them, but much to Fili's relief, he only assigned one. The trip to the neighboring city was not a long one, taking less than an hour by pony and affording Jade a few sights she had yet to see.

"If we veer off the path here, I could show you a magnificent little pond surrounded by a grove of trees that will take your breath away," Fili offered, pointing towards the edge of a forest to their left. "Sometimes Kili and I go fishing there, when we don't want to travel all the way down to Esgaroth, that is."

"That sounds lovely," Jade nodded, eager to see whatever Fili had to show her. "Do we have time?"

"We have all day," he laughed, pulling on the reins to steer his pony into the grove of trees.

The forest was bright and sunny, with a pleasant breeze blowing through the limbs above them, making it quite the lovely ride. Fili was mostly silent, his mind lost in thought about how he might bring up the subject of the kiss while they sat on the shore of the little pond. He would instruct the guard to hang back, affording him the privacy he so desperately needed for such a conversation.

Yet, in the end, none of his planning came to fruition, for even before they had located the pond, tragedy struck…in the form of several arrows, zinging out of the foliage before them.

"AMBUSH!" the dwarf guard shouted from behind them, seconds before an arrow struck him in the chest, causing him to cry out once more, but this time in pain.

"JADE, GET BEHIND ME!" Fili yelled, pulling his now frightened pony around so that he was positioned protectively in front of her. He wished he had thought to bring a bow with him, but that was Kili's specialty, not his. Still, as the filthy orcs stepped out from where they had been hiding, Fili pulled up his shield, hoping it would prove effective in warding off the next volley of arrows that was sure to come their way. With his other hand he reached for the many daggers he had hidden within his clothes. Two of the orcs fell victim to Fili's excellent aim right away, yet as they saw their prey intended to fight back, they scattered, once more taking cover and firing back.

Jade had heard Fili's command, but found herself unable to remain on her pony when the poor guard behind her was obviously in need of aid. Sliding off her frantic mount, she raced over to where the guard's pony was dancing around, nearly throwing the slumped over dwarf out of the saddle. When she was able to get to him at last, she saw that he was still conscious, yet would not be for long.

"You…you must…run, My Lady," the soldier stammered, gritting his teeth as he gripped the shaft of the arrow protruding from his chest.

"NO! You need help and Fili can't deal with this alone," she insisted. She wanted to get the poor dwarrow down to the ground so she could check his wound, but with them being under fire, it might not be the best idea. Looking back at Fili, and seeing that he still continued to deflect the oncoming arrows, Jade was forced to decide what was best. "Here!" she ordered grabbing the rope off the back of his saddle and throwing it around him a few times before lashing it to the pommel. "This will help you stay on your pony. Now ride as quickly as you can and find help."

"I…I can't…leave you…or the prince!" the poor fellow protested.

"You are in no condition to aid in the fight, and I am ordering you to go fetch help!" Jade did her best to sound authoritative, but the fear in her voice was difficult to hide. "NOW GO!" And giving his pony's rump a slap, it took off at a run, not leaving the wounded soldier much of a choice.

Jade had just spun around, looking for her own mount, but was stopped in her tracks by a shout of pain from Fili. Turning her head quickly, she gasped in horror as her brave prince fell backwards off his pony, a wicked looking dark arrow protruding from his right shoulder.

"FILI!" Jade screamed, racing forward to where he now lay on the ground. His mount had immediately bolted in fright, just as her own had, leaving the two of them to the mercy of the attacking orcs. "FILI!"

"You need to get out of here, Jade!" Fili moaned, struggling to rise even with the obvious pain he was in. "Save yourself!"

"Never!" Jade protested, helping him to his feet as quickly as she could. "I won't leave you! Can you walk?"

"I believe walking would do little good," he muttered, pulling her to the right just in time to miss yet another oncoming arrow. The orcs, having seen their opponent take a hit, were now emerging from their cover once more, advancing on them at an alarming rate. Reaching over his shoulder, Fili drew out one of his twin blades with his good arm. "I think it best we run!"

And while it was hard going, the two of them did just that, zig-zagging through the trees, attempting to make themselves less of a target. Unfortunately, no matter how far away they got, the attacking orcs were closing the distance as they raced after them.

Daring a glance over his shoulder, Fili counted at least half a dozen filthy beasts, some still firing arrows, while others now brandished swords and spiked clubs. They were a small band, but even a few orcs could be deadly if they had you outnumbered.

Fili hated the idea of running, it wasn't in his blood to do so, but seeing as how he had Jade to protect, it was the _only_ thing they could do. His shoulder burned like fire, and he could feel his shirt growing wet and sticky from his own blood, and he was now struggling to keep ahold of his sword. So, they continued to run like…well, like a hoard of orcs were on their heels. Fili made sure to keep Jade ahead of him, thankful that she was fast on her feet, leaping over fallen logs and ducking under low branches as if she were a rabbit.

Fili knew they couldn't outrun them though, not with him wounded and there being so many of them. Thus, he began to look for another means of escape - leaving turning and taking them all on at once as a last resort. Thankfully, as they made a sharp turn to avoid a formation of rocks, Fili spotted their salvation! A small cleft in the stone, just big enough for two desperate dwarves, partially hidden by a rather gangly bush. Surging forward, he maneuvered himself in front of Jade, stopping her with his body since his one good hand was full.

 _"Here!"_ he hissed, jerking his head towards the cleft, pleased when she instantly understood his intentions. Apparently Jade recalled his lessons in concealment during their game of hide and seek with Kili's cadets back in Erebor. Unfortunately, this time it was for real and not fun and games as it had been before.

They quickly squeezed inside the opening, and handing Jade his blade, Fili used his good arm to reach out and pull the bush to the side in order to hide them. They had barely finished positioning their camouflage when the thundering sound of the orcs came racing by, thankfully not noticing them, and speeding on down the path until they were out of sight.

Fili and Jade held their breath, not daring to move or speak until they could no longer hear their pursuers. When at last they felt it was safe, they peeked out, hoping that they had successfully evaded them, and this wasn't just a trick.

"Do…do you think they're gone?" Jade whispered, her hands gripping the sword he had given her so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.

"Not for long, once they realize we gave them the slip they'll be back," Fili warned her. He moved to retrieve his blade, but Jade would have none of it.

"You are hurt!" she insisted, using her free hand to inspect his wound, but flinching when her touch seemed to cause him even more pain. "You need to let me tend to that immediately!"

"There is no time," he insisted with a shake of his head. "We must to get out of here before they return." And guiding her out, Fili began to lead her back the way they had come. They did their best to move silently, yet every twig, or dry leaf they stepped on made them cringe, fearing the orcs would hear it and come running. However, it soon became apparent that the orcs who had raced by them shouldn't have been their only fear…for it would seem that another group, consisting of five more, were now advancing directly in front of them!

 _"Caragu!"_ Fili cursed, having truly hoped they could make it out of this without further bloodshed…yet that was not meant to be. "Stay behind me, Jade!" he ordered, pulling his second blade out of the scabbard on his back.

"I'm no weakling, Fili!" Jade insisted, stepping around until she was standing beside him, holding his other sword in front of her in a defensive position. "We will fight together!"

While the look in her eyes told Fili that she was scared to death, the determined tilt of her chin told him she meant every word. To a dwarf, having a brave and resourceful dam willing to fight at your side was as close to an aphrodisiac as one could get without visiting an herbalist, and Fili could honestly say he had never loved Jade as much as he did right that moment.

Still, it was _his_ duty to protect her, to keep his intended safe, and that was warring with his stirrings of lust and pride in her willingness to stand beside him. Yet, in the end, he knew he couldn't stop her, and in all honesty, he realized he couldn't take them on all by himself, especially wounded as he was. They would either triumph as a team…or die as one, yet he silently prayed to Mahal that it would be the former.

With a mighty yell, the orcs attacked, their weapons clashing with those of Fili and Jade's as the sound rang through the trees. He did his best to keep his eye on his beloved, yet it was difficult to do when being attacked by multiple opponents, all determined to lob off your head. Still, when Fili could spare a second, he saw that Jade was holding her own, her skill with a sword having improved greatly under his tutelage. It gave him a measure of pride to know that she was battling with one of his weapons, and he hoped that it would protect her the same as it had always done for him.

Fili had taken out two of the orcs, noticing that Jade had bested one and was currently engaging another. This left one final opponent for him to deal with, but unfortunately, this one wasn't playing fair. After feigning a lunge to the left, it instead went right, grabbing hold of the arrow still protruding from Fili's shoulder. The jarring motion caused the blond prince to cry out as he struggled to get himself free. Yet the orc had a vice-like grip on the shaft and was not about to let go, so Fili did the only thing he could think of - he brought his blade around to hack at the vile creature's hand, determined to shake his hold.

Now it was the orc's turn to scream in pain as Fili's sword cut through not only several of its fingers, but the wooden shaft it held as well. However, the action sent such a flood of agony through Fili that he was unable to remain standing and fell to the forest floor as he struggled to remain conscious.

"YOU FILTHY DWARF!" the orc spat, it's hate-filled eyes going from his now bloody hand to the injured prince on the ground. "YOU WILL DIE!"

Fili did his best to rise, struggling to lift his blade, but he simply couldn't muster the strength to do so, his vision still a swirling mess leaving him nearly defenseless. He knew the strike would fall any second and braced himself for the blow and the blackness that was sure to follow. Yet when a few blessed moments passed without the searing pain he expected, Fili thought maybe the death stroke had come so quickly that he had died without feeling it. However, since his shoulder still hurt a great deal…he knew he had to still be alive.

Looking up, his vision began to clear, and what he saw had his mouth falling open in sock. The orc stood over him, his spiked club still raised above his head to strike, yet it was the pearl handled dagger that protruded from the beast's throat that held his attention. And as he watched, it gave a final gurgle before it fell to the ground, dead.

Turning his head slowly, since doing so quickly would have caused him to become dizzy and vomit, Fili stared at Jade, standing behind him with her arm still extended from her life-saving throw. She had killed the last orc she had been battling with just in time to turn and save him, and Fili knew then, that if he hadn't loved her before, he certainly did now…tenfold.

Yet, before he could even form words of thanks, the sound of the first group of orcs could be heard approaching up the path from where they had just come.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding!" Fili growled, once more struggling to get to his feet, yet this time, his body would not comply, leaving him flailing around like a newborn dear on wobbly legs. This was _not_ good!

Thus, Fili was forced to watch as Jade became _his_ protector, standing at his side as she threw her second dagger expertly through the air and into the lead orc's chest, sending him down several yards away.

"HERE!" Fili called, reaching into one of his many hidden pockets and extracting another blade, handing it up to her to use. Without missing a beat, she palmed the weapon and hurled it as expertly as she had the last, instinctively reaching back to receive the next one he had ready. Unfortunately, by the third blade, the orcs were far too close for throwing, and Jade hefted Fili's blade once more, prepared to take on the last three as best as she could.

 _This is it,_ Jade thought to herself as they came barreling at her. _Here is where it all ends._ But if she had to die, she would happily do so in defense of the dwarf she loved, laying down her life in hopes that he might live.

Yet, seconds before they came plowing into her, two of them jerked backwards, letting out a strangled cry before falling to the ground. The third didn't even have time to pause before he too was struck down, lying still on the woodland floor beside his comrades. Jade couldn't believe her eyes, and for a few heartbeats was unable to process what had just happened. Yet, when she saw the arrows sticking out of each vile creature's chest, she slowly turned around, nearly falling to her knees in relief when she saw Kili and Tauriel standing behind them - each with another arrow nocked and ready.

"KILI!" Fili cried out, at last letting himself fall backwards in a heap, a flood of gratefulness washing over him. Jade was instantly there, bracing him as he went down, doing her best to cradle his body in a way that would lessen the pressure on his wound. Yet all he could think of was the fact that Jade was safe…and to the blond prince, that was all that mattered.

"FILI! JADE!" Kili called, as he and the elleth hurried to their side. "You're hurt!"

"I'll live," Fili assured his brother, through the pain etched on his face belied his statement. His eyes then turned upward, looking at the dam he now rested against. "Are you all right, Jade? Are you wounded?"

"I…um…" Here the dam seemed to shake off the daze she was in, doing a mental check of herself before answering. When nothing seemed to hurt, and no blood was visible, she shook her head. "I'm…I'm fine…I think." Yet seeing the red stain still seeping over Fili's tunic, she let her hand hover over the broken shaft of the filthy orc arrow. "But you're not! We need to get you back to the mountain! FAST!"

"I'll go get our mounts!" Tauriel said, darting off in the direction they had come from.

Kili quickly removed his belt and secured his brother's arm to his chest, offering it some support so it didn't pull on his wound, while an ashen faced Jade fussed and fidgeted, wishing she could do more. Tauriel was soon back with a pony and a full-sized horse, holding them both as Kili moved to help his brother stand, directing him towards his own mount.

"No," Tauriel insisted, stopping him. "I can get Fili back to the mountain faster on my horse, while you and Jade follow as quickly as you can. He has lost a lot of blood and should that arrow be tipped with morgal poison as yours was…time is of the essence."

Kili only paused a moment before nodding in agreement, accepting the elleth's help in getting his wounded brother up in the saddle. Once he was in place, Tauriel gracefully leapt up behind him and kicked the horse into motion, expertly speeding through the trees, intent on getting Fili back to Erebor at all haste.

"Come, Jade," Kili stated, climbing on the back of his pony and offering her a hand. "We best not tarry, for there could easily be more orcs nearby."

"Wait! I need to get Fili's blades and my daggers!" she argued, scurrying around as she retrieved her beloved weapons from the dead bodies, as well as the twin blades her betrothed always carried. "We can't leave them behind."

Once they were gathered, she stowed her daggers back on her person and handed the rest to Kili, before mounting the pony behind him. Then they were off, following where the horse had just gone.

"How did you find us?" Jade questioned as they rode, her entire body feeling as if it were numb. She knew she was probably in shock, but she fought to remain alert. "And you came so quickly!"

"We met up with your wounded guard," he explained, keeping a close eye on where the pony was going, not wanting him to run into any trees in their haste. "Fili's idea for a ride sounded so nice, Tauriel and I decided to take one as well. We had just crossed the meadow when we saw your guard riding towards us, slumped over the neck of his pony. When he told us of your plight, I ordered the guard that had been assigned to us to take him back to Erebor and we came in search of you. Looks like we made it just in time too."

"A few moments later and I fear it might have been too late," Jade agreed, immensely thankful that they hadn't been delayed. "You and Tauriel saved our lives!"

"For which I can't tell you how pleased I am," Kili admitted, the tone of his voice betraying the fear he must have felt out of worry for them. "Fili is my brother, and I love him dearly, but I've grown very attached to you as well, Jade. I would have grieved greatly if either of you had been lost to us."

"I'm quite fond of you too, Kili," Jade smiled, leaning her head against his back as she gave a sigh of utter relief. "Thank you."

"Save your thanks for when we are all back inside the mountain safe and sound," Kili insisted, urging the pony into a dead run once they were out of the trees. Tauriel and Fili were long out of sight, and he only hoped that his love would get his brother to a healer in time.

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Lord Baldar, ruler of the Grey Mountains, was not far from Erebor's gates when a shout came from behind.

"MAKE WAY! INJURED WARRIOR!" the rider cried as a large horse came barreling up the road, over the bridge and directly into the open gates, forcing Lord Baldar and his party to leap out of the way or be run down.

 _"Was that an elf?"_ the dwarf with salt and peppered hair asked in shock, turning to his councilor for confirmation?

"It certainly appeared to be, My Lord," Hakim answered, his own surprise evident in his tone. "And a female one at that."

"She looked to be bearing an injured dwarf before her," the regal looking leader added, having seen the blood on the dwarrow's tunic as they rode past. "Do you think the mountain is under attack?"

"If so, I believe it best we do not delay and make our way inside before we too come under siege," the older dwarf suggested, looking back over his shoulder as he urged their contingent of guards to close ranks as they continued on their path towards Erebor.

"Let battle come!" Lord Baldar huffed, clutching the hilt of his sword. "It has been far too long since my blade tasted orc blood. I would welcome a good fight."

"Well, I would not," Hakim muttered, his fighting days long past. "Now please hurry, My Lord. Your son, Balmor, is a fine prince and warrior in his own right, but I for one would not wish for him to take over the duties of king so soon. Nor would I wish to forfeit my own life on foreign soil, even if this be the most renowned dwarf kingdom in all of Middle Earth."

 _"That_ remains to be seen," Baldar said with a bit of a grumble. "I have only come in order to keep the peace, I have not set my mind on whether I will pledge any sort of allegiance, or form an alliance, with this Thorin Oakenshield. He will first have to prove to me his worth."

"Do not carry old grudges into the mountain," Hakim all but begged, knowing full well the history that his lord and the new king of Erebor shared. "The past is the past, and it cannot be altered. Yet, the future can, and should be, for the sake of our people. Do not let your heart rule your actions this day…but instead, your head."

"You speak wisely, and I will attempt to do as you bid," Lord Baldar stated with a sigh. "Yet…it is difficult."

"I understand, truly I do," Hakim nodded sadly, turning to place his hand on his friend's shoulder comfortingly. "I too watched Lila grow up and miss her greatly as well."

Yet, before another word could be spoken, a second set of hooves and a shout came up the road behind them.

"Clear a path!" a dark-haired dwarf called, he and his companion racing by those standing on the side of the road, not slowing until they too reached the mountain gates.

"Hakim!" Baldar gasped, blinking his eyes several times as he strained to catch a better look at the dam who had been riding pillion behind the dwarf. "Did you see? Did you see…it was… _Lila!_ I swear to Mahal it was, or my eyes are playing tricks on me!"

Hakim spun around and squinted against the noonday sun, attempting to catch a glimpse of what his lord had claimed to see. Yet, by now the rider, as well as his companion, was well within the mountain and out of sight.

"My Lord," he said in a soothing tone. "I fear you must have been mistaken. It was probably just someone who shared certain features with your daughter. We were just speaking of her, thus your mind must surely have only made you _think_ it was her. Perhaps it's best we get you out of the sun." Here the older dwarf took him by the arm, as if to offer him assistance.

"I have not gone mad, nor been affected by the heat!" Baldar growled, pulling away in a huff. "I saw what I saw!" Yet after taking a few deep breaths, his shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head. "Or…at least I saw someone who _looked_ like her. Oh, Hakim, will this pain ever truly go away?"

"Nay, My Lord," the white-haired dwarf said in a sad voice. "The loss of a child is never something one recovers from. Still, the hurt will continue to dull with time. Yet you still have Balmor, and he has given you several strong grandsons to dote upon."

"True, and I love them all dearly, but nothing and no one can replace my Lila. It has been nearly ninety years, Hakim," Baldar moaned. "Ninety years since I laid eyes on my only daughter. Thus, I fear I will take this ache with me to the Halls of Mandos. For only there will I be reunited with my little jewel, it would seem."

"Come, My Lord…let us continue on," Hakim suggested, once more placing a comforting hand on his leader's shoulder. "The sooner you speak with the king, the sooner we can make our way back home, where we belong."

"Aye," Lord Baldar agreed. "Let's get this blasted obligatory meeting over with." And on up they went, with their troops and wagons following close behind.

* * *

 ***wipes away sweat from forehead* That was close! Thankfully, Fili and Jade made it out alive...now let's see if they can remain that way. They fought good together, almost like they were made to be a couple or something!**

 **Look at Kili and Tauriel working together as a team as well! Wonder who shot two of the orcs and who only got one. ha ha.**

 **Hmmm, the Grey Mountain Delegation has arrived...and I don't know about you, but Lord Baldar seems to find Jade oddly familiar! Wonder what that's all about? (sly wink)**

 **Please let me know if you had this all figured out ages ago, or if this comes as a big shock to you. I like to drop hints, but I do prefer to be subtle about it...so let me know how I did. ha ha.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Yeah...sorry about that. A whole chapter and no talking...wait...I did it again! And I didn't see your review till very late last night and I was too sleepy by then to spend the time to post another one. Sorry again. But here is a new one now!

 **Nala:** I hope your stress goes away soon...and I hope this chapter didn't just add to it! Don't worry, Fili is touch, he should pull through all right...maybe. Thanks.

 **Travelbug:** **Ch. 22** = You can fist-bump all you want...I'm pretty sure they did too. ha ha. And no one can be upset with our Kili, no matter WHAT he interrupts, right? He's just so happy. **Ch. 23** = Of course Dis wants grand-babies... a whole lap full with more spilling onto the floor! Better get cracking on that Lads! You don't think I'll make their talking very easy? What makes you say that? Perhaps the big orc attack and Fili now being wounded? You know me so well. *sly grin* Thanks for both reviews.


	25. Chapter 25

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 _ *****STOP!*****_

 **Notice...I have posted twice in one day...DO NOT read out of order.**

 **Fair warning.**

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 **Chapter 25**

 **~X~**

* * *

Jade wasted no time, and the moment Kili helped her down from the pony, she was off at a dead run towards the healing halls. By the time she reached the second set of stairs, the dark-haired prince had caught up with her and taking her arm, assisted her up the next several flights. When they at last burst into the main room of the healing halls, they were met by Thorin, Dis, Balin and Tauriel.

"How is he?" Kili was the first to demand, with Jade attempting to catch her breath. "Will he heal?"

"Oin is with him now, but he was awake and grumbling as they took him in," Thorin informed them, his arm still around his sister's shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "What happened?"

"We were attacked by orcs," Jade answered, knowing that she would have more information on the subject than Kili. "We were out riding, and Fili was taking me to see some pond, when they just came out of nowhere." It was then that she recalled the soldier that had accompanied them. "Our guard was injured as well…did he make it back to the mountain?"

"Yes, they took him in before Fili arrived," Dis spoke up. "We do not know of his condition yet, however." She then turned and laid her hand on Tauriel's arm, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Thank you for getting Fili here so quickly, my dear. You have given him a better chance by your efforts, and for that you have my undying gratitude."

"I was happy to be of assistance, Lady Dis," Tauriel told her with a gentle smile.

It was then that the door opened, and several others crowded into the room.

"We heard that there was an orc attack!" Dwalin shouted, his mighty fists already gripping at his axe handles. "Is the lad all right? Do I need to send out troops?"

"I think we got them all," Kili assured the war chief. "But it wouldn't hurt to scout the area to make sure they were not accompanied." He then gave Dwalin directions to where the slain might be found, causing the bald warrior to storm out in determination.

"But how's Fili?" Bofur questioned, looking at them with fear in his eyes. "Word is he was brought in wounded."

"He is with Oin now, but we have reason to hope for the best," Balin assured everyone, giving Dis a smile. "He is a strong lad, he has survived worse than this."

"Well, he would have been in worse shape if Jade hadn't been there with him," Kili spoke up, giving the now blushing dwarrowdam a wide smile. "From the number of blades sticking out of those dead orcs, it's obvious that she put up one hell of a fight. I would say her skills with a throwing knife even rivals that of Fili."

"You have now saved both my sons from certain death, Jade," Dis sniffled, reaching out and pulling the dam close to her in affection. "First Kili during the cave in, and now Fili from a hoard of orcs." She then turned to gaze up at Tauriel. "And you have now saved my Fili twice…once from Azog and now by getting him here to be healed quickly. You _both_ have my undying gratitude, to be sure."

"I would hope you saved a bit of appreciation for me as well, Lady Dis," came Oin's gravelly voice, tinged with humor. "For it's my pleasure to inform you that due to my skillful tending, your son will make a full recovery."

"Bless Mahal!" Dis cried, now throwing herself in Thorin's arms as she sobbed in relief.

Jade went weak in the knees over this piece of good news, and had it not been for Kili's strong arms holding her up, she might have slipped to the floor. Everyone was smiling, asking Oin questions and eagerly listening to what the healer had to say. They were also grateful to learn that the guard who had been shot in the chest would recover as well…though not as quickly as Fili, it would seem. In the end, he said they could go in to see him as soon as they had moved him to a more comfortable bed in one of the other rooms, insisting they wait just a bit longer before they did.

It was just as Oin left the room, that a guard entered, seeking out Thorin and Balin.

"My King," he bowed. "The Lord of the Grey Mountains has just arrived and is awaiting an audience with you."

"Lord Baldar? _Now?"_ Thorin asked, his tone revealing how unsettled he was by this visitor. In truth, he believed he would much rather deal with Thranduil than this dwarf lord. "While I desire greatly to see that my nephew is indeed on the mend, I dare not keep him waiting."

"Then go, Uncle," Kili urged. "Fili will understand, and he has the rest of us to check on him. You can see him later after you have greeted your guests. I know what a trade agreement with the Grey Mountains means for Erebor."

"Yes, go," Dis nodded, understanding more than her son about the history between Thorin and Lord Baldar. "It would be best not to give him reason to find fault with you, Brother."

"If he finds my loyalty to my family a fault, then I say to Mordor with the old goat!" Thorin growled.

"And that's exactly the attitude we need to avoid, Thorin," Balin insisted, taking his king by the arm and leading him out of the healing halls. "You can visit Fili later, right now, you have diplomacy to master and an ally to make."

"Exactly who is the king here?" Thorin huffed, not liking how Balin often treated him like a willful lad and not the ruler of Erebor that he was.

"I often ask myself the same question," Balin answered glibly, the two of them disappearing down the hallway.

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Once in the throne room, with his regal robes and crown in place, Thorin gestured for his guests to be admitted. He was still a bit hesitant to see this particular dwarf again, the last time having been during his unwanted betrothal. Granted, he had never laid eyes on Lord Baldar's daughter, the Lady Lila, but the contract had been binding, and they had indeed been promised in marriage. Yet, when the message came, not long before the Dragon attacked, telling Thorin that the betrothal had been called off – without even a word as to why – he couldn't say he wasn't relieved. He would have gone through with it, for his grandfather had seen it as a good and prosperous match, gaining them access to all the coal they needed to keep Erebor's forges burning bright. And now, as he watched the older dwarf enter his throne room, Thorin knew that they were now just as much in need of the fuel sources as they once were. He would have to play nice.

"Lord Baldar," he greeted, doing his best to sound pleased, though he was anything but. "It has been a long time."

"Aye, it has…" Here he paused slightly, as if uncertain how to address him now. "…King Thorin."

"I do hope we can put the past behind us and form a strong allegiance, as you once had with my Grandfather Thrór," Thorin continued, putting his best foot forward. "I am still unsure what transpired that caused you to end the agreed upon marriage between your daughter and myself, yet I do not find fault in you doing so. I highly doubt she would have been pleased to be tied to a wandering prince with no kingdom to his name. Thus, I believe it was all for the best, and I trust there are no hard feelings on the part of the lass or yourself."

Lord Baldar stood there silent for a moment, before he broke eye contact, looking away as if in regret.

"No, King Thorin. There are no hard feelings over the incident, not from either myself…nor my daughter," he said in an oddly quite voice. "And I thank you for your understanding."

"Might I invite you and your company to take your ease in the chambers we prepared for you?" Thorin offered, rather taken aback by Lord Baldar's subdued actions. He had expected the dwarf to fuss or yell, or at least accuse him of some atrocity that had caused him to rescind the hand of his daughter. Still, Thorin was not about to look a gift pony in the mouth, so to speak. "I invite you to join me at dinner tonight, yet at present I beg your forgiveness, for I have extremely pressing matters I must attend to."

"More pressing than seeing to a guest of such rank as Lord Baldar?" Hakim spoke up, seeing the king's words as a slight to his lord and friend.

"While I consider Lord Baldar's presence an honor and would under normal circumstances personally see that he is welcomed and entertained to the best of my ability. I fear that only a few hours ago, my nephew and heir was attacked by orcs and is still under care in the healing halls." Thorin informed them in a stern tone. "Thus, I consider _his welfare_ my top priority at the moment."

"Yes, of course," Baldar was quick to speak up, placing a hand on his councilor's shoulder to quiet him. "You are right in seeing to your kin first, and we are sorry that he has come to harm. Please, do not tarry any longer, we understand your necessity, King Thorin. Family should _always_ come first."

"My apologies, Your Majesty," Hakim said with a reverent bow, looking appropriately chastised. "I spoke out of turn."

"You are forgiven," Thorin replied graciously. "Now, please, follow my aid and he will see to your care. I will join you at dinner. Until then, I hope you enjoy your stay in the mountain." And with a final nod of respect, Thorin quickly left the room, eager to return to the healing halls and Fili.

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"I'm fine, I tell you!" Fili grumbled, pushing Kili's hand away for the fifth time. "Between you, Amad, Oin, and of course those mangy orcs, I think I've been poked and prodded quite enough today, thank you." And while the blond prince tried to sound stern, he couldn't hide the appreciation in his tone. "I've had far worse injuries, and since I've been assured the arrow that struck me was not poisoned, I should recover quickly."

"Aye, the lad is right," the old healer agreed with a look of relief. "Yet, had it been a morgal shaft that struck him, I believe a certain elf lass here knows the secret of caring for such a wound." At this he gave Tauriel a wink, eliciting a shy smile from her.

"Well, regardless of that, _you_ will be remaining here in the healing halls for as long as Oin deems necessary, and no arguments!" Dis instructed firmly.

"Yes, Amad," Fili conceded. His shoulder still ached quite a bit, but the herbs Oin had given him had taken most of the initial pain away. He would be sore for days, to be sure, but he also knew that dwarves healed quickly. They were strong after all, for they had been crafted from stone.

There was more discussion about his injury, as well as further investigation into the reason a band of orcs had been so close to Erebor, yet through it all, Fili only had eyes for Jade. She had grown rather quiet, and was now standing against the wall, her arms wrapped around her midsection as if attempting to hold herself together. And from the pale look of her skin, he wondered if she might suddenly topple over in a faint.

"Amad," Fili broke in, getting everyone's attention. "Might I ask to be left alone for a moment…I wish to speak to Jade in private."

The older dam glanced from her son to her former maid and nodded in understanding, silently ushering everyone out of the room as requested. When it was only the two of them, Fili reached out his good hand towards her, beckoning Jade to come closer.

Needing no further encouragement, she rushed to his side, sitting on the edge of his bed as she all but collapsed, her forehead resting on his undamaged shoulder as tears began to flow from her eyes.

"I…I thought you might actually die!" she wailed, gripping his hand in her own as if it were a lifeline. "When I saw…all the blood…I feared the worst."

"What? _This_ little thing?" he asked, doing his best to make light of the situation. "It's hardly a scratch." It hurt his heart to see her so broken up, yet it gave him hope that perhaps she was more invested in this relationship that he formerly dared believe. "Don't cry, Jade. I'm fine…truly."

"But what if you weren't?" she persisted, unable to get the imagine of him lying on the ground with blood all over his tunic. "I…I don't know…what I would have done if…if you…" Jade found she couldn't even voice such a thing out loud, it truly being unthinkable. If she ever had any doubt of her feelings for Fili, they were more than clear now.

"I felt the same way," he confessed, urging her to lift her head so that he could look into her tear-filled eyes. "I would have never forgiven myself if _you_ had come to harm today. I would have gladly laid down my life if it meant saving yours. Yet, it would appear that you were the one who saved me. Your skills with a blade certainly came in handy, as did your recently acquired knowledge of how to use a sword. Dwalin will be rightly impressed with you, even if you never got a chance to use an axe during the fight."

"I was scared out of my mind," Jade informed him, wiping at her eyes as she attempted to compose herself. "I acted purely on instinct and can't believe I actually did all that."

"You are a true warrior," Fili stated with pride. "You let your training take over and didn't freeze up when it really counted." And though this was probably not the time or the place for such a declaration, Fili couldn't help but wish to confess his true feelings for Jade at that very moment. They had just lived through a life and death situation, and only Mahal knew when another would present itself, thus prompting the young prince to want to speak now. However, before he could, the door opened, and Thorin came in, not even bothering to knock or check to see if he might be interrupting something.

"They told me you were out of danger, Fili," he stated with a wide smile, seeing that he had been informed correctly. "It is good to see you alert and with more color in your cheeks than when they brought you in."

Fili could have screamed in frustration for the interruption, and yet, the look of joy on his king's face tempered his reaction.

"Yes, it would appear that the orcs failed once more to diminish the line of Durin, Uncle," Fili said with a sigh. "Yet, it is all due to the skill and determination of this lovely lass. She stood between me and the oncoming hoard without a hint of fear, taking down many before Kili and Tauriel came to our rescue."

"Yes, your brother already related the tale to us, or at least as much as he was witness to," Thorin nodded, giving Jade a look of pure gratitude. "It would seem we have good reason to bless the day that this lass came to Erebor."

"No more so than I bless the day I did as well," Jade responded with a blush. "For in doing so, I have become acquainted with the bravest, and most kind family I ever met. You have my highest regard, King Thorin, you and all your kin."

Thorin might have said more, but the door behind him opened once again, with Oin poking his head in.

"I think it's time my patient got some rest," he insisted, signaling for everyone to exit. "And he certainly won't do so when his king, or a lovely lass, is present to distract him."

"Just a few more moments, please?" Fili begged, still wanting to confess his feelings to Jade.

"Absolutely not!" Oin commanded authoritatively. As the head healer, he ruled these halls as if he were the king himself, and no one - not even Thorin - dared contradict him. "You can be moved to your own chambers tomorrow and thus do as you please, but tonight you will listen to me. Rest is what you need!"

"Oin is correct," Thorin said, siding with his old friend in this regard. "For the faster you heal, the quicker you can assist me in dealing with Lord Baldar and his delegation. I will need your help in carving out a mutually profitable agreement for the rights to their coal supply. But first you must see to your wound."

"Fine, I will abide by Oin's orders…for now," Fili huffed, knowing he would not win this argument. "Yet, I insist that tomorrow I am allowed to join you for the noonday meal at least, for I will not have the Lord of the Grey Mountains thinking that a piddly orc arrow can keep the line of Durin down."

" _If_ you feel up to it," Thorin chuckled, admiring his nephew's conviction and sense of duty. "I will assign Lady Jade to be your escort, since you seem so determined to join us. Will you see to this, my dear, and make sure he does not overdo himself?"

"Gladly, Your Majesty," she nodded, her eyes becoming like steel, telling Thorin that nothing was going to get past her in the case of Fili's care. He admired that in her, and found he truly hoped his sister-son could convince the lass to accept his suit.

"Then we will bid you goodnight, Fili," the king said, placing his hand on his nephew's good shoulder, giving him a smile that told the blond dwarf he was loved. "Heal quickly and know that you did your king proud this day." He then looked down at Jade. "You both did." With that, Thorin gestured for Jade to accompany him out the door at Oin's insistence.

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Once they were in the waiting area, Dis took charge of Jade. Insisting that she be escorted back to her chambers and given a bath, something to eat, and then put straight to bed. At first the lass protested, but the older dam was more than firm on the matter, leaving no room for argument. Kili too suggested that Tauriel do the same, the two of them having become rather grimy themselves during the whole ordeal, agreeing that they would join Thorin that night to entertain the Grey Mountain delegation in Fili's absence.

"Aye, it would be best that Lord Baldar be informed of our alliance with the elves of Mirkwood immediately, before he finds out on his own and overreacts," Thorin agreed. He was starting to warm up to the elf lass himself, though he was not about to admit it just yet. However, her efforts in rescuing Fili and Jade had gone a long way in raising the elleth in his esteem.

"As if I give one hoot about what that old mule might think!" Dis huffed, linking her arm that was not around Jade through Tauriel's. "My lad has chosen wisely, and I will not have any say a word against my future daughter-in-law!"

This had Kili grinning from ear to ear, truly heartened by the way his family seemed to be taking to his love. And here he had been so afraid that they would spurn her.

"Now, come, let's see to getting you both cleaned up, and allow Fili to heal," Dis stated. "For I'm certain that you will be back here first thing in the morning, will you not, Jade?"

"As my king has commanded that I be his escort, I think it best," Jade grinned. "However, I will admit that a bath and a rest does sound amazing."

"Then let us delay no more," the dam smiled. "It has been one very long and exhausting day."

"One, I fear, that is far from over in _my_ case," Thorin noted, knowing that he still had Lord Baldar to deal with over dinner. "Come, Kili…I will need all the help I can get." And off they went, leaving Oin to care for Fili for the night.

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As it turned out, the Lord of the Grey Mountains was indeed enraged by the pairing of the king's nephew and an elf, but not for the reasons Thorin had anticipated.

"You would force your nephew to endure a loveless marriage simply for political gain?" Baldar growled, acting completely offended by the notion. This confused Thorin greatly, seeing as how the dwarf had once done the same, with his own daughter no less. Yet, the look of pain in the older dwarrow's eyes told Thorin that he obviously regretted having done so, perhaps that having been the very reason the match had been called off in the first place. However, Thorin dared not address the issue, not if doing so would cause friction between them.

"Allow me to assure you, Lord Baldar," Kili broke in, eager to put the dwarf's mind at ease and alleviate the friction over the subject. "This might appear to be a political move on the part of both my uncle and King Thranduil, but it was myself and Tauriel who initially petitioned to be allowed to marry. I am completely in love with her, though some of our kind might find that hard to believe, and I assure you, she feels the same for me. This is a love match, pure and simple."

This not only shocked the elderly dwarf but seemed to please him as well.

"I am happy to hear this…truly I am," he revealed. "And while I understand why some dwarves might hold animosity for the children of the Eldar, we up north are not touched by such prejudice. Thus, I congratulate you, young prince, on finding happiness with your chosen mate, whomever she be."

"Your words are greatly appreciated, Lord Baldar," Tauriel said, gracing him with one of her lovely smiles. "If only more of your kind had the same beliefs."

"I learned the hard way that denying one their heart's desire only leads to sadness and pain," the older dwarf revealed. "I would not wish such a thing on anyone."

Thorin was left rather speechless at Baldar's acceptance of the situation, having fully prepared to argue in favor of his decision. Perhaps there was more to this dwarf than he had originally suspected, his one meeting with the lord of the Grey Mountains having left a bad taste in his mouth. Granted, it had been his grandfather, Thrór, who had originally initiated the match, but Baldar had agreed to it…at least at first. Perhaps before the dwarf left the mountain, Thorin would work up the courage to ask him why the betrothal had been called off, and what the dam in question had done with her life. But until he felt more confident about Baldar's intentions and the possibility of a future alliance, he dared not make waves.

 _All in good time,_ Thorin thought to himself. _All in good time._

* * *

 **Hmmmm, the plot thickens! And look, Fili will be just fine.**

 **But OH NO! Thorin was the one to interrupt them! Now the circle is complete. ha ha.**

 **Did you enjoy the bonus chapter? It came to you compliments of Aranel Mereneth's sad puppy dog eyes that she trained on me and made me give in. ha ha. It only works once though...so do not try using Kili's secret weapon on me a second time. ha ha.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Yes, a life or death situation does tend to bring out the feelings in a person. And if it was the worst interruption, then it is only fair it was by Thorin then...he is the king after all. ha ha. Hope you enjoyed the bonus chapter. I would have put it out sooner, but I had to make dinner, eat dinner, then format the chapter, respond to reviews, etc, etc. But here it is!

 **Emrfangirl:** Ah so you knew that was coming, huh? And no, Thorin was supposed to marry Lila, Lord Baldar's daughter...who is sadly dead now. So no late in life romance for our Majestic King. Sorry. Yes, Dis should be heavily in debt to both Jade and Tauriel. Yet, the elf is one up on the dam...she saved Fili twice now. Better even up the score Jade! ha ha. And am I to assume you have read Summerald's stories already, or you are reading them now? Thanks.


	26. Chapter 26

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 **Congratulations to Emrfangirl for being my 300th reviewer!**

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 **Chapter 26**

 **~X~**

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Jade did indeed scurry to the healing halls first thing in the morning to see if Fili was awake. Yet, the grumbling and fussing she heard through the door left no doubt in her mind that he was.

"Leave off, will you Kili, I can dress myself!" came his frustrated voice of the blond prince.

"The sorry state of your tunic and trousers says differently," Kili replied, humor more than evident in his voice. "You look like a toddler dressed you."

Jade placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh when she heard only a growl in response to Kili's dig. When she felt she could at last keep a straight face, she knocked on the door. "May I come in?"

"Um…just a moment!" came Fili's frantic call, followed by a bit of shuffling, a few cross words, and at least one sharp cry of pain. "That hurt, Kili!"

"Then stand still and let me help you, instead of fighting me at every turn!" the dark-haired prince grumbled.

After a few more minutes, Jade was given permission to enter, finding both Fili and Kili looking a bit worse for wear, yet the immediate smile that sprang to the blond dwarf's lips made her heart leap in her chest. To think she had almost lost him. It still gave her the shivers!

"You look much better today," she spoke up. "Am I to assume that Oin is still letting you go back to your chambers to heal?"

"I'd like to see him try and stop me," Fili huffed, apparently having had enough of the healing halls. "However, what's say we all get out of here before he changes his mind."

"Sounds good to me," Kili grinned, knowing just how his brother felt, having been laid up recently himself. "Lead the way, Jade."

"Actually, I think I could use a bit of steadying," Fili spoke up, wanting nothing more than to be touching the beautiful dam, even if it was only on the arm. "Would you care to escort me, My Lady?"

"I believe I was instructed to do just that by our king," she smiled, taking hold of him and tucking her hand through the crook in his elbow. "Can't disobey a direct order, now can I?"

"Why not? You did when King Thengel was here," Kili was quick to point out. "Why bother starting to listen to Thorin now?"

"Put a sock in it, Kili," Fili said with a roll of his eyes. "And get the door, will ya?"

.

.

So, they headed out, making their way down the halls at a snail's pace, according to Kili.

"Can't you move any faster?" the dark-haired prince whined. "I had a leg injury and still I got around quicker than you."

"Feel free to go on ahead then, we'll catch up," Fili offered, eager to get any amount of time alone with Jade, no matter how small.

But Kili was not falling for it and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You're doing it on purpose!" he accused. "Just hoping I will shirk my duty as chaperone and leave you two alone. Well, if I must be watched every minute, then so do you! Now seriously, hurry up, or our breakfast will arrive at your chambers before we do!"

"You already ordered food?" This Fili had not known. "And what about Tauriel…will she be joining us?"

"Of course! You don't think you're the only one eager to spend time with their lovely lass, do you?" Kili questioned. "So, pick up the pace, Nadad, time's a wasting!"

"Fine…but only because you said there will be food when I get there," Fili laughed, giving Jade a playful wink.

.

.

Thorin had managed to avoid having to entertain Lord Baldar at breakfast, due to his attention being needed in one of the crafting halls, but he was hoping that both his nephews would be present at the noon meal. Oin had reported that Fili was released, and able to return to his chambers, giving the king a good feeling that it might indeed come to pass. Dis too had said she would be there, and that alone would take much of the pressure off Thorin.

When the time at last came to head to the small dining room set aside for private meetings with important delegates, Erebor's king was already dreading the encounter. He tried to convince himself that there was no reason, for Lord Baldar had been quite congenial, and even accepted Kili and Tauriel's betrothal rather well. Yet, something still nagged at Thorin, and it appeared that any mention of the Grey Mountain princess was met with odd looks and a quick change of the subject. He also found that the need to know why their courtship was called off was nagging at him something fierce. And Thorin decided it was high time he found out.

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.

"How was your morning, Lord Baldar?" Balin asked once the dwarf and his aid had arrived at the dining room. "I hope your stay has been pleasant thus far."

"Yes, Councilor Balin, it has," Baldar assured him. "We have been attended to very well, and the short tour of the mountain after breakfast was very educational." Here he turned and looked directly at Thorin. "Yet, I would prefer to get down to business, and bypass all this unnecessary diplomacy. Might we schedule time to sit down and discuss the true reason I came here…to bargain for our supply of coal?"

"Yes, of course," Thorin agreed, never one to beat around the bush either. "I have cleared my schedule and have devoted the entire afternoon to the matter. My sister-son and heir, Fili, will be joining us as well, and he has a few ideas that I believe you will find mutually beneficial."

"Your heir is sufficiently recovered to sit in on the meeting?" Baldar asked.

"He claims that he is, though I will send him off to rest should it become evident it is too soon," Thorin assured the older dwarf. "Yet, I will let him gauge the amount of his own stamina."

Dis was the next to arrive, blessedly taking over the job of conducting small talk, and letting Thorin take a short respite. It was times like these he truly appreciated his sister and her diplomatic ways. Perhaps he should have her glean the reason that Baldar had called off the betrothal.

"Are we late, Uncle?" came Kili's voice from the doorway, as he and Tauriel made their way inside.

"No, you are right on time, for once," Thorin replied, waving them in and directing them towards their seats. He still found their difference in height rather comical, yet the more he saw the two together, he found they looked…well, right. In another lifetime he would have forbidden such a match, yet, time had changed so many things in Middle Earth…why not his opinion of elves as well? "Where is your brother and Jade? Was he not feeling up to joining us?"

"Oh, he's coming," Kili assured him, pulling out a chair for Tauriel at the table, before taking his own seat. He turned and nodded respectfully to Lord Baldar who had just sat down as well at the right hand of Thorin. "My brother is just being purposefully slow is all. He apparently wants to spend as much time on the Lady Jade's arm as he can."

When the king of the Grey Mountains looked confused by this statement, Dis was quick to clarify.

"My eldest son is also in the process of courting a lass by the name of Jade," she informed him. "Unlike Kili, however, she has yet to accept his third courting gift, so he highly values any and all time alone with the lass…while still being properly chaperoned, of course."

"I understand," Baldar nodded, the wistful look on his face leading all to imagine he was recalling his own days of courtship as well. "It is indeed a privilege to find a dam willing to accept your suit, thus the lad should not waste a moment."

Just then the door opened again and in came Fili and Jade, the blond prince's arm still resting in a sling, yet the rest of him appeared strong and hale. The fact that he had a lovely dam on his arm and a wide grin on his face only added to his look of vigor.

"Forgive us for being tardy, My King," he spoke up, though not sounding the least bit sorry. Yet before he could say another word, Lord Baldar rose to his feet so quickly his chair toppled over backwards, striking the floor with a loud clunk.

 _"LILA!"_ he shouted, his eyes as wide as saucers as he stared at the dam on Prince Fili's arm. "Is…is it truly you?"

"Your…Your Majesty," Hakim stammered, also completely stunned by the similarity between the dam before them and the former lady of the Grey Mountains. "I…I do indeed see the resemblance…but I fear that this lass is far too young to be your daughter, Lila." He stepped closer and placed a hand on his lord's shoulder. "Can you not see that you are mistaken?"

"But…" Baldar began, not wanting to let go of his hope and excitement just yet. "She is the spitting image of her! How can this be?" Taking a few steps forward he reached out a shaking hand, yet he pulled back the moment Fili placed himself in front of her protectively.

"I do not know who you think you are addressing, Lord Baldar, but this is the Lady Jade, my intended. And I would caution you to keep a respectable distance," he warned.

"Fili, I don't think he means any harm," Dis cut in, realizing that for some reason he thought Jade looked like his daughter, Lila. She turned towards the stunned dwarf, speaking in a calm voice in hopes of snapping him out of his trance. "Lord Baldar…would you like a drink? A mug of ale to settle your nerves perhaps?"

"No…thank you," he responded, at last prying his eyes off the half-hidden dam beside Fili. "I…I am all right, truly," the older dwarf assured them, yet he only half believed it himself. "It is just that the Lady Jade bears such an uncanny resemblance to my daughter…whom I have not seen in almost ninety years."

"What?" came Thorin's gasp of surprise. That would have been very close to the time their betrothal had been called off. Was he about to learn the reason for this at last? "I do not understand. What happened?"

Here Hakim stepped forward once more and gently steered his leader and friend back to the table, righting his chair and easing him into it. Yet, even though Lord Baldar appeared to regain his composure, his eyes never left Jade's confused face for long.

"I was a foolish ruler, one so blinded by ambition that I failed to recognize that my little lass had grown into a lovely dwarrowdam…one with her own mind on so many subjects," Baldar began, laying bare his sins and shortcomings before everyone present. "And she had already chosen whom she wished to marry as well, thus when she learned that I had arranged a match with you, King Thorin, for political reasons, she utterly rebelled. Had I known her feelings for the dwarf she claimed to love ran so deep, I would have bowed to her wishes…at least I want to believe I would." Here he lowered his head, utter misery now etched on his face. "Yet, I never found out the answer to that, for my Lila ran away in the middle of the night, leaving the Grey Mountains with her lover in order to be together. I looked, I searched, and left no stone unturned, but every lead turned into a dead end. I never saw my little jewel again, and to this day I do not have a clue as to what became of her."

"Your…your _little jewel_?" Jade gasped stepping out from behind Fili with shock filled eyes.

"Yes," Baldar nodded, still beside himself at the appearance of the lass. "That is what I called my precious daughter, _my little jewel_."

At this, Fili, Dis, and Kili's mouths all fell open, each knowing of the medallion that Jade had inherited from her true family, as well as what was written on it.

"And might your daughter…Lila, have had some memento that sported such words of affection?" Jade pressed, daring to come a few steps closer to the older dwarf that now held her undivided attention. Her hand ached to reach up and grasp the medallion she always wore, but she dared not give any hint to what she had been referring to, wanting him to deny or confirm it without being told.

"A memento?" Baldar's bushy eyebrows came together in confusion, but moments later they rose to his hairline as recognition struck. "Lila always wore a necklace I had given her! One with a stone pendant with those very words engraved on it. _My Little Jewel."_

Fili felt his throat tighten, forcing him to swallow hard in order to breathe properly once more. Had Jade just found her long lost family? And if so…what did that now mean for the two of them? Yet he could think on that later, right now she needed his support, and Fili was not about to let her down. Approaching behind her, he stood very close, letting Jade know that he was there for her.

Thorin, Balin and Tauriel all watched in confusion, yet knowing something very important was taking place. Even Hakim was now standing there in anxious expectation, the look on his face one of disbelief.

"A…a pendant like this one?" Jade all but whispered, reaching for the mithril chain around her neck and pulling on it until the item she had treasured all her life was brought into view. When she held it out before her, Lord Baldar gave a heart wrenching sob and rising to his feet, he stumbled towards her. Reaching up he let the medallion rest on the tips of his fingers, ones that he could no longer keep from shaking.

"This…this belonged to her…I would know it anywhere," he choked out. "I gave it to her…to my Lila when she was very young." He then stared up into those green eyes which were an exact replica of his daughter's. "How did you come by this…and _why_ do you look so much like my Lila?"

When Jade appeared unable to answer, her own voice stolen from her as tears began to fall from her eyes, Dis stepped in.

"Because, Lord Baldar…I believe that Jade is your granddaughter. Lila's only child." she explained.

"WHAT?" Thorin gasped, having expected something momentous, but certainly not tis. Jade was not a lowly maid at all, but instead a lady of high birth, the granddaughter of the Lord of the Grey Mountains? "How can this be?"

"I…I never knew my real parents, for they were killed during an orc attack when I was a mere infant," Jade spoke up at last, reaching out to grasp hold of the elderly dwarf when this news seemed to cause him great pain. "My foster parents found me among the slain and raised me as their own. They told me that this pendant was the only thing they ever found that pointed to where I came from, or to whom I might belong." At this, she removed the necklace and handed it to the ruler of the Grey Mountains, as he continued to inspect it with a sense of joy and regret. "For so long this was all I had to go on, hoping that one day it would lead me to the truth about my past. Yet until you spoke these very words, I feared that day would never come."

"Even if you did not possess this, Lady Jade, I would not have rested until I knew the truth, for there is no doubt in my mind that you _are_ my blood kin…my child's child." And before Jade knew what was happening, the weeping dwarf pulled her into a warm embrace, his salty tears falling onto her shoulder as he whispered endearments into her hair. Soon Jade joined him, wrapping her arms around this unknown dwarf and hugging him back as if they were long lost relatives…which they in fact were.

By now Dis was in tears as well, with Fili even more choked up than before. Even Kili was wiping at his eyes and trying to hide it from everyone else. Tauriel, of course, noticed and wrapped her arms around her tender-hearted dwarf with a smile. Hakim was a blubbering mess, with Thorin and Balin looking around not knowing what to say or do.

At last Baldar pulled back, cupping Jade's face tenderly in his hands, the two of them hardly able to see through their tears. Yet they both wore a wide smile, beyond happy to have found each other at last. With great reverence, the older dwarf reached up and replaced the necklace around Jade's neck, knowing that this was where it truly belonged.

"I have so much time to make up for, my sweet Jade," the old dwarf said through his sniffles. "I want to know all about you and hear everything you have to tell about your upbringing." He then got a worried look on his face. "That is…if you will permit such a thing. For I am the one who acted so heinously and disregarded the wishes of your mother…and apparently your father. Causing them to flee from their own homes in order to be together. This is something I am ashamed to admit and have regretted every day since Lila left. Will you forgive a foolish old dwarf, even if he can't forgive himself?"

"Of course, I will," Jade assured him. "You have obviously punished yourself enough as it is, no sense in me doing so as well. Everyone makes mistakes," here she let her eyes drift to where Fili stood beside her. "Yet, often, in the making amends for our foolish actions, we can find happiness all the same." She hoped he understood her meaning, and the soft look that came to Fili's eyes gave her confidence that he had. She next turned back to her grandfather. "I can assure you that I want nothing in this world more than to get to know my true family, and at last to be a part of your life."

"You have an uncle as well!" Baldar was quick to inform her. "My son, Balmor, your mother's brother. He will be beside himself with joy to learn that he has a niece. He is also married, with two sons of his own…your cousins."

"I have an uncle, an aunt… _and_ cousins?" Jade's eyes once more filled with tears of joy. "I actually have a… _a family_?" All her life she had wished for such a thing, a true dwarf family, and here at last she had all she dreamed of.

"If you want us," Baldar nodded. "And you can be assured that we most definitely want you." He then turned to Hakim, suddenly looking younger and less burdened than he had in years. "We must alert our people to the fact that my granddaughter, the Lady Jade, will be coming to grace the halls of the Grey Mountains with her beauty."

And while the white-haired aid looked pleased by this news, Fili was anything but.

"Wait…what?" he broke in, not at all liking the idea of Jade going anywhere. "Jade cannot leave Erebor!"

"And why not?" Lord Baldar demanded. "She is my kin! Thus, she should return to her rightful home…with me!"

"But Jade is my betrothed!" Fili argued, panic rising in his voice. "She wears my courting bead and has accepted two of my courting gifts."

"Yet not the third?" the older dwarf pressed, his tone telling Fili that until she did, nothing was written in stone. "And…as Jade's grandfather, it is I who you would need to petition for her hand. Something I believe you have yet to do."

"He just found out you _were_ her grandfather!" Thorin spoke up, eager to stand beside his nephew in all this. "Just as _you_ have as well!"

"Details," Baldar said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Yet I know now, thus it is my duty to see that my granddaughter is looked after. She has family now, and she can rely on us for love and protection."

"I assure you that even before you arrived, Jade has been loved and looked after quiet well!" Dis all but growled, her motherly instincts coming to the fore. "Was it you who greeted her at the gates of the Blue Mountains when she appeared out of the wilderness? Was it you who took her under your wing and taught her about her dwarf heritage? Or was it you who gave her a home in Erebor, as well as loved her like a daughter all this time? No! That was me!"

"And I thank you for your concerns, Lady Dis," Baldar told her. "Yet, now…she has me."

"She has _me_ as well!" Fili yelled, taking a step closer as he placed an arm around Jade's shoulder.

"Wait, wait!" Jade spoke up, taking a step back as if she didn't quite know how to react. "Stop this at once! I will not have you all fighting over me like a pack of wargs with a chew toy. Don't you think _I_ should have any say in all this?"

Here King Thorin stepped in, holding up his hand in a commanding gesture.

"The Lady Jade is correct," he insisted, effectively silencing everyone around him. He turned and looked at Lord Baldar, fixing him with a stern glare. "Did you not just tell us that you regret dictating whom your daughter Lila would or would not marry? While I too agreed to this betrothal many years ago, had I known that my intended already loved another, I would have put a stop to it immediately. Would you now do the same to your granddaughter? Removing her ability to decide for herself where she would like to live…and with whom she would like to spend her life?" When Baldar's face grew pale and he looked away, Thorin knew his words had struck home. "Thus, I believe it best if we give the Lady Jade time to decide what _she_ wants. And none of us should attempt to influence her decision on the matter." He then nodded towards Jade. "Is this acceptable with you, My Dear?"

"Yes…quite so, Your Majesty," the young dam agreed, though in truth she was so confused at this point she was certain no solution made sense. "I will think long and hard on what it is I want…but in the meantime, I would love to get to know my grandfather and hear all about my previously unknown family."

"Just as I would love nothing more than to get to know you, my dearest granddaughter," Baldar smiled, relief washing over his face.

"Then might I suggest we all sit down and enjoy some conversation over lunch?" Dis offered, quite proud of her brother for his diplomatic solution. "Perhaps we should all get better acquainted…especially if there is the possibility of our families one day being united."

"Hey, whatever allows us to get to eat, I'm all for it!" Kili laughed, taking a seat next to Tauriel and making a grab for one of the plates before him.

"Mind your manners!" Dis scolded, reaching out and slapping his hand. "Ladies first!"

"Yes, Amad," Kili muttered, rubbing the back of his now stinging hand.

* * *

 **And there you go...did that shed some light on the mystery?**

 **So, now that Jade has official family to look after her...will that be a hindrance for Fili? Too bad he hadn't had time to fess up before all this hit the fan!**

 **Looks like Thorin stepped up and laid down the law where Jade was concerned. And Baldar is just a bit overprotective...kind of like Dis with her lads. ha ha.**

* * *

Guest Reviews:

 **Guest B:** Oh...I think you are. And if you weren't, I believe this chapter answered that question, right? Ha ha.

 **Aranel Mereneth:** This time I actually checked mail after dinner and not right before bed, so it worked out...and I was feeling generous. ha ha. Yep, everyone has thoroughly interrupted Fili and Jade...no one left now. However, I never make things easy...now do I? Thanks.

 **Emrfangirl:** Congratulations on being my 300th reviewer! Wish I had a prize for you, but hopefully finding out Jade's connection to the Grey Mountains was prize enough. And glad you figured out who was who, and not engaged to Thorin. ha ha. Ummm, Yes, Oin did kind of stick his nose in on Thorin's interruption...but If I had to go through the rest of the company walking in at the worst time, this story would never get finished. ha ha. I too love Summerald's stories, it's got to be my all time favorite. I've read it three times, and I even got my husband to read it and he really enjoyed it too! I can't wait to see how the one she's writing now turns out!

 **Travelbug:** I do like to drop hints along the way, so that it doesn't come at you out of the blue when the truth does hit. Glad you enjoyed the action in the chapter. I struggle with action scenes at times. I want to get the blocking just perfect. And no, I didn't mention Jade's proficiency with a blade way back when for nothing! Had to let her show off her skills somehow. ha ha. Yes, sadly, too many dwarves in Erebor and not enough private time for Fili and Jade. So sad. Well...did you like the big reveal? Thanks for the reviews!


	27. Chapter 27

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 **Chapter 27**

 **~X~**

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Jade spent the rest of the day in the company of Lord Baldar, with him telling her tale after tale of her mother…and a few of her father as well. For it turned out that the dwarf who had stolen Lila's heart had lived in the Grey Mountains all his life. He of course was not of noble birth…in fact, he had been the stable master, caring for the royal ponies. Baldar truly lamented the part he played in forcing his only daughter to leave her home and family to follow her heart, repeatedly begging Jade's forgiveness.

"His name was Jarl, and he and his kin had been loyal members of my kingdom for generations," he explained to her. "I had no idea that Lila had fallen in love with him…until it was too late. Oh, if only I hadn't been so blinded by politics, things might have turned out so differently."

"If you allow it, regret will eat away at you until it destroys all your happiness," Jade told him soothingly. "It's time you forgave yourself, as I already have, and I'm sure my mother did many, many years prior. It's time to look to the future and be happy that we have found each other at last."

By the time the moon began to rise in the sky, the two of them had nearly talked themselves hoarse, each desperate to hear and tell all they knew. Jade found herself quite attached to the older dwarrow and marveled at how quickly she came to accept him as family. For Baldar it was the same, though he had to admit that Jade looking so much like his own daughter made it easy to not only accept her…but love her as well. To him, it was as if Mahal had forgiven his folly at last and granted him a second chance. Still, in regard to Thorin's command, he did not do or say anything to influence her to return with him to the Grey Mountains. Determined to let it be _her_ choice alone where she wished to live. He would not make the same mistake twice.

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Fili was pacing back and forth in the gathering room in the royal wing, running his fingers through his blond hair in worry.

"What if she leaves with him?" he asked for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"Then it would be by her choice and you would have to respect that," Thorin informed his nephew.

"Are you just saying that because you believe it might gain you the alliance with the Grey Mountains?" Fili questioned, leveling his uncle with a narrow glare. "I mean, Thrór was willing to enter _you_ into a betrothal for the rights to the coal…would you then urge me to let her go for that same reason?"

"NO! Of course not!" Thorin growled. "And you know that!"

"He's right, Fili," Dis interrupted. "Neither of us would ask that of you. But if Jade does wish to leave, well…" Here she left her words hanging, letting Fili fill in the blanks.

Fili returned to his pacing, but a sudden gasp from Kili pulled him up short.

"OH MAHAL!" the younger prince said in panic, slapping his palm over his forehead. "I just thought of something!"

"And did it hurt _that_ much, little brother?" Fili asked, having no idea what had got his naddith so flustered.

"No! But you might be the one cringing when I tell you what just occurred to me." When Fili didn't seem willing to engage in a guessing game, he pressed on. "I was thinking…what if Uncle Thorin _had_ married Jade's mother, Lila? That would have made Jade our cousin!"

The room went silent at this, with everyone present contemplating the ramifications of such a thing. In the end, everyone either grimaced in disgust, shook their heads, or in Fili's case turned white as a sheet and gave a visible shudder.

"Well, then it's a very good thing that the courtship was called off," Dis stated firmly, effectively ending that line of discussion.

"But what am I to do if Jade calls off _our_ courtship?" Fili moaned, now back to his original thought.

"Something, if you recall," Thorin pointed out, "was a sham in the first place, and she was always meant to turn down your third courting gift."

"But it's not a sham anymore!" Fili objected, quite strongly. "Or at least it isn't for me!"

"Well, now," Dis said with a satisfied grin, setting her teacup down and staring at her son. "So…this _has_ progressed into something more, has it? Might this have all begun over the kiss you two shared?"

"YOU KISSED JADE?" Kili gasped, nearly jumping to his feet from where he had been sitting next to Tauriel. "When? Where? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would have reacted just like that," Fili explained with a roll of his eyes. "And I didn't exactly kiss her…" he hedged, knowing that in fact it was she who had kissed him.

"No indeed…it was Jade who kissed Fili," Dis said with a tickled grin.

"Yikes…good thing she _isn't_ your cousin, right brother?" Kili grinned, loving the way once again Fili shuddered at the thought.

"Wait!" the blond prince said, turning to look at his mother in confusion. "How do _you_ know all this?" For he was certain his mother had not been anywhere near when the kiss took place. "Did…did _Jade_ tell you about it?"

"Of course, she did. Though she refused to give up any of the juicy details," Dis huffed.

"AMAD!" Fili balked.

"DIS!" Thorin chimed in.

"Eeeewww!" Kili added.

"What? Just because I'm your mother does not mean I don't enjoy a bit of gossip now and then," she protested. She then looked over at Tauriel who was also grinning, giving the elleth a wink. "See…Tauriel understands."

"Well I don't, so let's please cease talking about this!" Fili insisted. He then stopped and turned to his mother once more. "No, wait…what did Jade say about the kiss? Did she like it? Does she want to do it again? Should I kiss her the next time…or should there even be a next time?" He moaned in utter frustration. "I have no idea what I'm doing here! Are all courtships this complicated?"

"Mine seemed to go rather smoothly," Kili said, not at all being helpful.

"Ugggg!" Fili fumed, stomping towards the door. "I need to go for a walk!"

"If you see Jade along the way, mind what you say!" Thorin warned. "If Baldar cannot attempt to influence her decision, neither can you. Understand?"

This only seemed to upset the blond prince more, and if the force in which he slammed the door was any indication, he would not be simmering down any time soon.

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Fili did indeed wander the halls of Erebor for a while, doing his best to gather his thoughts and try to salvage what he could of this seemingly doomed situation. He had to convince her to stay…with him! But how? Now that she had a family to look after her, she might choose them over a life with him, and then where would he be? His heart hurt just to think about the possibility of losing her.

"I need to make her understand just what she means to me," Fili grumbled out loud, hoping that hearing his own words would help him decide what to do. It had taken drastic means to get her to speak with him in the first place, so perhaps it would take such measures again? But other than sneaking into her room a second time, what could he do? Then it came to him, the perfect plan! "I'll craft her a third courting gift…one that will make my feelings more than clear. And if she does not accept me then, well, I can't say I didn't give it my best shot."

And without another word spoken, he headed off for the forges, hoping that his wounded shoulder would not slow him down in his attempt to implement his plan.

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"So, Jade…" Baldar began, at last willing to broach the subject he had been avoiding all evening. "Tell me about you and Fili. Do you love him? Do you _want_ to marry the prince?"

"I…I'm not sure how to answer that," she confessed, looking down at her hands as they twisted in her lap nervously.

"Truthfully, of course," he urged. "I promise that I will in no way try to stop you if marrying him is your true wish. I came here to Erebor to broker a trade agreement… _if_ I deemed the King of Erebor worthy of such a thing. And while I have yet to hear his official proposal, I find myself leaning towards saying yes. The young king seems to have a good head on his shoulders, and I would be foolish not to strike a bargain with him. Still, you are my top priority on this trip now, and I only want you to be happy."

"And…and what if I _do_ want to be with Fili?" Jade asked in a mournful tone. "The trouble is…I have yet to discover if he wants to be with _me!"_

"From the words he spoke earlier, I got the definite impression that he did," Baldar chuckled, doing his best not to laugh outright at his granddaughter's apparent blindness to the fact.

"Or, he could have simply been saying that to continue the ruse we began," Jade moaned, leaning forward as she buried her head in her hands. "You see…Fili and I were caught in an awkward position, and to salvage our reputations, we entered into a fake courtship, with the intention of calling things off before it became too late."

 _"An awkward position?"_ Baldar questioned, his expression and tone instantly shifting to one of anger. "Did this dwarrow compromise you in any way? I swear if he did, I will slit him from stem to stern!"

"NO! It was nothing like that, it was all an innocent mistake, I swear!" Jade was quick to assure him. "Nothing happened between us…honest!"

"I will take you at your word…for now, but I want to hear all the details on this matter later," Baldar insisted, yet schooled his temper for now and gave Jade his attention once more. "So, you have feelings for him, yet because of this ruse, you are unsure if he cares for you the same way…is that it?"

"Oh, it's such a disastrous situation! One I have no idea what to do about," Jade nodded. "I tried to keep my feelings for him in check, assuming I would never be good enough for a prince, what with being a lass without a name or family."

"Yet, now that is no longer the case," Baldar pointed out. "You are _my_ granddaughter, the Lady of the Grey Mountains, and as near to royalty as they come. Any lad, be he prince or pauper, would be privileged to have the gift of your heart."

"But is this true with Fili?" she questioned. "Just because we found out I'm not some orphan lass, that doesn't mean he will automatically fall in love with me."

"He would be a fool not to!" Baldar huffed. "But are you saying that you do indeed love him?"

Jade stared up at the dwarf who she had just found out was her grandfather, and though they knew so very little about each other, she felt a bond with him she couldn't explain…nor did she want to. Thus, throwing her arms around his neck she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I do! I do love him, so very desperately," she confessed. "And I truly feel I will die if he doesn't love me back."

"If I ever had any doubt that you are my daughter's child, it has been set to rest with your words," he told her with a sad smile. "For my Lila too felt deeply about…well, _everything!_ You take after her in that regards. But please, do not speak of death after I just found you, my new little jewel. Every time I look at you, it's as if my Lila has returned to me."

"I wish I had known her," Jade sniffed, wiping her eyes.

"I wish that as well," Baldar agreed. "And I don't want you to fret one more moment over this situation with the prince. Everything will work itself out in the end, this I can promise you."

"How do you know?" Jade questioned, still looking despondent.

"Because I've lived a lot longer than you, and I know a thing or two about love," he informed her. "And besides, I'm your grandfather, and for that reason alone you must trust me." The last part he had said with a touch of humor in his tone, causing Jade to give a reluctant smile.

"If you say so," she giggled. "I mean, you've never steered me wrong so far."

"Exactly," Baldar grinned. "Now, as much as I would love to keep talking with you all night, I think it best we both got some rest. I have meetings with Thorin in the morning and I need to be at my best if I'm going to engage in shrewd negotiations with the lad. I might admire him, but I don't plan on just _giving_ away the Grey Mountain's resources for nothing. Not since I now have a granddaughter to spoil and dote upon!"

"All I have ever wanted was to know I had a family," Jade argued. "I don't need gifts."

"You let me worry about that, understand?" he fussed. "And let an old dwarf have his fun, will you?"

"Yes, Grandfather," Jade smiled, flinging her arms around him once more. They exchanged a long, warm embrace before the two of them tearfully parted for the night, with promises of seeing each other the following day.

.

.

Fili worked late into the night, the project he envisioned was taking more time than he expected, what with his injured arm. He realized if his mother or uncle knew that he was down in the forges, and not in bed resting, they would have thrown a livid fit…but he didn't care. He was running out of time, and if he wanted to make certain that Jade knew how he felt before Lord Baldar convinced her to return to the Grey Mountains, this needed to be finished!

Dunking the mithril object into the bucket of water, and waiting for it to cool down, he held it up for inspection. Almost done. Yet, he realized that his tired eyes would not do for the delicate inscribing he had planned, so to bed he knew he must go. Still, he knew he would be back down first thing in the morning. He was pleased with how it looked, having turned out almost exactly as he had envisioned in his mind. It would speak not only of his love, but his acceptance of her new family and position as well. And as the final courting gift, it would seal their union and let all know that she too wanted to be his. Or at least he hoped she would be his. And as he set his work aside, and shut the forge door behind him, he sent a silent prayer to Mahal that she would be…and soon.

.

.

The next morning, Dis, Jade and Tauriel met for breakfast, the three females wanting to get better acquainted with each other. And while Dis and Jade were already fast friends, the two wished to include Tauriel as well. After all, Dis had a feeling that both lasses would soon be her daughters by marriage, and having everyone on good terms would make life much easier. She was happy that Jade's background with the elves would be a help in this matter, seeing as how Dis knew next to nothing about the children of the Eldar.

"Is there anything you like to eat specifically…or don't eat, Tauriel?" Dis questioned as she watched the red-haired elleth sip at her tea and nibble on a piece of buttered toast. "I do not wish to offend you by serving something you are opposed to. You…you do eat meat, don't you?"

"Oh, yes," Tauriel nodded, touched by the dam's concern. "Elves eat most every kind of food, but we do prefer more greens than most." Here she gave a quizzical look. "Is there any reason why Kili seemed to think elves believe that dwarves do not partake of meat? I thought it a very odd question for him to ask."

"That would be the fault of a book given to me by Lord Elrond, long ago," Jade laughed. "It said that elves thought the way to keep a dwarf from becoming aggressive was to deprive them of meat. Foolish, I know…but that's what it said."

"Foolish is right," Dis chuckled. "The fastest way to get a dwarf's dander up is to deny them their favorite food!"

"I will remember that," Tauriel laughed.

"Oh, I think you could feed Kili roots and twigs for the rest of his days and he would smile up at you with all the love in his heart and thank you profusely," Jade assured the red-head. "He is quite smitten, to be sure, and in his eyes, you could do no wrong."

"I will keep that in mind as well," Tauriel blushed. "Still, I would not want to deprive my husband-to-be of anything his heart desires."

"Then it's a good thing that his heart seems to desire you, my dear," Dis grinned. "Now…how about you try some of these delicious sausages. They are Kili's favorite."

And so the meal continued, the three of them laughing and talking as if they were old friends.

.

.

"Lord Baldar," Thorin greeted the elder dwarf as he and Hakim entered his council chambers. "I hope you slept well."

"Ahhh, yes," he replied, a wistful smile touching his lips. "Though I mourn the loss of my daughter, now knowing for certain that she is gone from this world, I rejoice in the fact that I have gained a granddaughter. Her presence tempers my grief somewhat and will undoubtedly bring me a whole new set of joys."

"Jade has been a ray of sunshine for Erebor as well," Kili spoke up, not wanting Lord Baldar to think they didn't appreciate having her around as well.

"I have no doubt," Baldar nodded, taking a seat at the table to Thorin's right. "But, enough with the pleasantries. Should we get down to business…or are we waiting for your nephew, Fili, to join us?"

"No, he has asked to be excused this morning," Thorin revealed. "I fear his wound is bothering him and he has chosen to remain in his chambers and rest."

"Probably best," Baldar nodded. "One does not want to push themselves too hard and run the risk of not healing properly."

"I thank you for your understanding in this matter," Thorin nodded. "Though Prince Kili has offered to stand in for him, if you agree."

"Of course," the Grey Mountain dwarf conceded. "I have no objections to this."

And so, with all in agreement, the talks began, with Balin outlining the treaty, and Hakim looking over the contract with a critical eye. There were concessions made here, and amendments made there, but after hours of deliberation, they came to an agreement that seemed to please everyone. Everyone but Baldar it would seem.

"King Thorin, before I agree to sign this…I would like to ask one final addendum," he spoke up, causing all eyes to turn towards him.

"Oh…and what might that be?" Thorin asked, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy over the determined look on the older Lord's face.

"I would prefer if you and I spoke about this alone," he pressed, turning to Hakim and nodding his head in a sign that he wanted his councilor to leave as well.

"Lord Baldar," Balin began in protest, not at all liking the idea of leaving his king alone to deal with some unexpected demand.

"Balin," Thorin said, halting his friend's objections. "I see no harm in hearing him out. You and Kili may wait outside."

Both Kili and Balin gave the king one last look of concern, but did as they were told, following Hakim to the door and exiting without another word, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"Well…we are alone," Thorin pointed out, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers together as he waited for the dwarf to speak. "What is it you further desire."

"I desire a marriage alliance to seal this deal," Lord Baldar stated without hesitation. "One between my granddaughter and your nephew, Prince Fili."

"I see," Thorin said slowly, doing his best not to show any reaction to this news in his face or tone. "And what has brought this on? For if I recall, just last night you said that you regretted interfering in your daughter's life, and yet here you are, dictating whom your granddaughter must wed. Might I ask what changed your mind?"

"My Jade, and _her_ wishes," he said, not giving an inch. "I did not listen to what my Lila wanted, ignoring her desires to marry the dwarf she loved. I will not do that with Jade. We spoke last night, and while her upbringing will not allow her the courage to speak up on her behalf, I have no such impediment. I will not see this union fail to come about if there is something I can do, nor will I let my granddaughter's wishes be left to chance. Thus, if you will agree to the marriage of Jade any your nephew, I will indeed sign the contract, giving you exclusive rights to the coal of the Grey Mountains at the very generous rate agreed upon."

"That is indeed something to consider," Thorin nodded, his expression still showing no sign of his feelings on the matter. "And what makes you believe I would agree to such a thing?"

"If the original betrothal had come to pass, my Jade would have been a princess of Erebor anyway," Baldar reasoned. "Why not grant her the title she should have had in the first place. And perhaps I am not so far off in believing that your nephew will not object to this stipulation?"

"You are not," Thorin nodded in agreement. "Still…I would need to speak with him about this before saying yes or no. I swore long ago that I would not force my heirs into a political marriage. It must be _his_ choice…just as it is _hers_."

"And if he does agree, do you see any issue with the proposal?" Baldar questioned, wanting to know what Thorin though of his granddaughter.

"No, none in the least," the king informed him with a smile. "I have found Jade to be an exemplary dwarrowdam, one with plenty of spirit, bravery, and wisdom. I would count it a privilege to have her join my family, and one day be the one to rule at Fili's side. She is a wonderful lass, as I'm certain you will come to find out as you too get to know her."

"I need no such time…I am already convinced of this fact," Baldar said, his words full of pride. "It is giving her up after just finding her that will take some time to get used to, however. Still, I am willing to sacrifice anything for the happiness of my daughter's child. Anything."

"Which is something I admire in you, Lord Baldar," Thorin smiled. "I will speak with Fili as soon as possible and let you know his decision."

"Thank you, King Thorin." He then rose and reached across the table, shaking hands with the dwarf whom he had once thought to become his son-in-law. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

"And you," Thorin agreed.

* * *

 **Well now...it looks like things are going their way for once! With Baldar and Thorin in agreement, this might be easier than they thought...or will it?**

 **I think Baldar is willing to do anything to make Jade happy...no more standing in the way of love for him!**

 **And yes, Tauriel...do NOT deny Kili a thick juicy steak now and then. He's a carnivore. ha ha.**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Nala:** **Ch. 24** = Yipppee for less stress! Yep, Jade's skill with the daggers had to be shown, I mean what's the use of knowing how to use them and not getting to showcase them? I am NOT good at throwing anything...well except a fit. ha ha. Yes, Kili and Tauriel ARE a power couple, so cute! **Ch. 25** = Yes, those Durins are cursed...cursed with bad timing! ha ha. Of course the guard lived, it would have been sad if he didn't! That and I would have had to delay the story more in order to have his funeral too. ha ha. **Ch. 26** = Yep, you were right. Jade is Lila's daughter. And as you just read, yes, Baldar knew who her dad was. As you also saw, he is NOT about to stand in Jade's way of love, in fact, he is doing all he can to further it. Thanks for your continued support.

 **Travelbug:** Oh good, I'm happy you liked it. And of course Fili is feeling worried that his time and chances for Jade's heart and hand are in jeopardy. But he has a plan...whether it's a good plan, that is yet to be seen. ha ha. Thanks.

 **lydo99:** Your ability to allow private responses is apparently turned off, so I am responding to you this way. I agree, it would be good drama if Jade left, but I can't tell you if she will or won't...but I think you won't have to wait long to find out. ha ha. Thanks for the kind review.

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Yep, you guessed right. As for how long will it take Fili to get the nerve to speak...sooooooon!

 **Guest:** I do like spunky characters. They might start off wishy washy at times, but given enough chapters they seem to grow a backbone. ha ha. I do try NOT to make them Marry Sues, but I think we all want our heroins to be accomplished and able to take care of themselves...and even save their men now and then. ha ha. Now, since I don't know which guest you are, or if I have heard from you before, I am going to call you Guest S - for Spunky. OK? This way, if you review again, use that name and I will know it's you!


	28. Chapter 28

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 **Chapter 28**

 **~X~**

* * *

It was long after lunchtime when the meeting with Lord Baldar ended, causing Thorin to grab Kili as the two headed off to track down Fili. He was eager to speak to his oldest nephew about this new and interesting concession – one he knew the blond prince would readily agree to. Yet when they went to his chambers, they found it empty, with no indication as to where Fili might be. They looked in all the usual places, searching for the missing prince, but he was not found in the sparring ring, the kitchens, the stables, or any other place he might frequent. After over an hour of fruitless looking, they stopped messing around and called for Nori.

"Do you have any idea where my nephew is?" Thorin demanded, his frustration level near the top.

"If you mean Kili…well, he's right beside you," Nori grinned, pointing at the dark-haired prince. "On the other hand, if it's Fili you've misplaced…well, I might be able to help you there as well."

"You know where he is?" Thorin asked hopefully? "Then don't just stand there…tell us!"

"He's in the forge rooms, working on some project," the thief said in a lazy tone, absentmindedly inspecting his fingernails. "He's been there all day, in fact."

"WHAT?" Thorin grumbled, not having thought of looking there. "Why on earth is he in the forges, and doing what, may I ask?"

"Making something is my best bet," Nori shrugged. "If you offer me a coin or two, I could find out."

"I don't require such knowledge, and what need do _you_ have for a coin anyway?" Thorin huffed. "You own a fourteenth of all the gold in this mountain."

"True, but it's not the coin I want…simply the pleasure of knowing I wheedled it out of _you_ ," Nori laughed, loving how his king's face turned a lovely shade of red over his words. He enjoyed getting Thorin's dander up, he truly did. "Or for the same coin, I could easily go fetch him for you."

"You will get no gold from me this day, Thief," Thorin snorted, his tone a cross between anger and amusement. "Now, send a guard in on your way out. I think it's time my nephew emerged from whatever it is he is working on."

"Suit yourself," Nori nodded, turning to leave. "But I could have done the job in half the time of one of your soldiers, and I'm willing to bet Fili would actually listen to me."

"Are you saying that Fili will disregard the express orders given to him from his king?" Thorin balked.

"I'm sorry…have you _met_ Fili?" Nori asked in mock surprise. "Or Kili for that matter?" And with a jovial laugh, the dwarf left the room, sending in the confused guard as he exited.

.

.

Later that day Jade and Tauriel chose to head down to the training rooms, where the elleth wished to get in some practice with her bow and arrow. Jade had considered finding Dwalin and seeing if he was willing to give her some axe wielding lessons, but she was reluctant to give up her alone time with her new friend. Thus, she sat on the sidelines and watched as the red-headed archer struck the target time after time, never once missing her mark. After a while, Jade began to shout out challenges, all of which Tauriel accepted with confidence. And as each target was struck, and each trick executed with precision, the two females began to bond over gales of laughter. Once they had spent enough time in the training ring, they made their way to the dining halls, deciding to get a quick bite to eat.

"You will have to teach me to shoot like that," Jade remarked, duly impressed. "I've been taking lessons from Fili with the sword, and Dwalin with the axe, but I have yet to try my hand with the bow." She then got a thoughtful look on her face when recalling the size of her friend's weapon. "Though I believe I will need to find a bow much shorter than yours, for it was nearly as tall as me."

"Kili would be happy to aid you in that department," Tauriel smiled, buttering a piece of bread with the golden spread. "He has spoken of your aptitude with weapons, and I would be pleased as well to aid you in learning."

"Kili said that about me?" Jade asked in surprise. "That was kind of him."

"He is very impressed with your skills and has come to have great affection for you as well." When Tauriel saw Jade's eyes grow wide in alarm, she quickly added. "As a _sister_ , that is. You need not fear any jealousy from me…I am quite confident that Kili's affections for me are true."

"Good…since after watching you with your bow, I don't want to make an enemy out of you!" Jade laughed in relief.

"Nor do I wish to be anything but friends with you as well, and perhaps in time, sisters?" Tauriel questioned, looking at the young dam hopefully.

"Oh, I don't know…you see…" she wasn't sure if she should confide in the elleth about how her courtship was a sham or not, though she desperately wanted to. It would be nice to have another female besides Dis to talk to about such muddled up things.

"You fear that since your courtship with Fili began under false pretenses, that there is no way his feelings for you could now be real?" she questioned in a low voice, giving Jade a wink when the young dam looked surprised over the elf having such knowledge. They had chosen a table in the corner, away from others, but they still were careful not to allow themselves to be overheard. "For if that is the case, you can rest assured that is completely untrue. Fili has great affection for you…and in no way like one would feel for a sister."

" _What?_ How do you know? Has he told you this…or told Kili?" Jade was both in shock and unmitigated joy over Tauriel's words.

"No one needed to tell me, for the evidence is as plain as day," the elleth scoffed. "Dwarves are very easy to read, at least for us elves that is. That is how I knew Kili spoke true when he confessed his love for me…the proof was in his eyes. It is the same way I see Fili looking at you…with love."

"Really? Do you truly think so?" Jade asked hopefully.

"I can guarantee it," Tauriel stated firmly, giving Jade's hand a comforting pat. "And since I see the same look in your eyes, it makes me wonder why you have not spoken to him of your feelings. You do care for him in the same manner…do you not?"

"I…I believe I do," Jade stated with a blush. "I know it's not logical, what with how different we are, but I honestly do have very deep feelings for him."

"Different? How so? You are both of the same race, and now of the same social status," Tauriel pointed out. "Your grandfather is the ruler of his own kingdom, and you are one of his heirs. What could possibly be standing in your way of being together?"

Jade was now rendered speechless. What _was_ holding her back? Was Tauriel right bout Fili and his feelings for her…or was it all just wishful thinking? Yet, if she analyzed the situation from an outsider's perspective, she had to admit that the signs were all there. He had been nothing but attentive and kind, he had gone out of his way to protect her and her reputation, and he had shown genuine distress when she had been in danger during the cave-in, as well as the orc attack. Couple that with how often he made it a point to hold her hand or give her innocent touches…not to mention him asking if he could kiss her, well, the evidence was overwhelming. Did Fili truly love her? And if it wasn't quite love _yet_ , could it one day be? If what Tauriel said was true, then she had nothing to fear in confessing her affections for Fili. And even if she was wrong, keeping her mouth shut on such matters was not getting Jade anywhere either. At least by confessing her attraction to Fili she would know where she stood…right? And anything was better than living with this worry and wonder, not knowing if her feelings were requited or not.

"You know what? You're right!" Jade stated firmly. "The only thing stopping me…is _me!_ Yet not anymore!" At this the dam stood up. "I love Fili! And I'm not wasting another moment on doubt or fear. I'm going to find him right now and tell him exactly how I feel."

"Good for you!" Tauriel smiled, proud of her friend's courage.

"Ummm…any idea where he might be?" she asked in a nervous voice.

"No, I don't," Tauriel giggled. "However, I would start your search in the royal wing, since there's a good chance he might be resting there from his wound."

"Then that's what I'll do," Jade nodded, circling the table quickly to give Tauriel a warm embrace. "Thank you for giving me the courage to act."

"What are friends for?" the elleth laughed, squeezing her back before the dam took off in the direction of the royal wing.

.

.

In true Fili fashion, he did delay in the forges after being summoned. Not out of spite or anything, but due to his desire to continue working on his gift for Jade. He would have preferred to stay and see it fully completed, yet his king had summoned him, and the last thing he wanted to do was rush things and make a mess of it. His wound had slowed him down considerably, with Fili at last giving up and removing the sling in order to have more control of movement. It caused his shoulder to burn with pain, but he had ignored it and had pressed on. However, when he came to a spot where he could at last bring himself to stop, he did so.

Checking the time, he cringed, realizing that the guard had delivered his uncle's summons nearly a full hour ago, and he was now horribly tardy. Still, once he explained his reasons to Thorin, he would appreciate Fili's need to keep working. He might be the king, but Thorin was a crafter as well, and understood the deep desire dwarves had to see their project to completion…often to the detriment of all else.

So, after shutting the door to the forge room, he headed off to find Thorin. It didn't take him long, locating him and his younger brother in the family's communal chambers in the royal wing. The two had been talking, but stopped the second Fili entered, giving him a rather uneasy feeling.

"Forgive me for being late," Fili began, doing his best to read the expressions on both his relative's faces, attempting to determine if he should brace himself for bad news…or good. "I was working on a project in the forges." Yet before he could even begin to describe it, Thorin spoke.

"Fili…have a seat," he instructed, gesturing to the chair opposite him. "I have some news."

 _Oh no…this was it,_ Fili thought to himself. Jade had requested to return to the Grey Mountains, choosing her long-lost family over him. He felt his stomach drop, and he feared he might become sick.

"Don't worry, Brother," Kili broke in, obviously reading his nadad's expression well enough to understand he had feared the worst. "It's good news…or at least I think you will find it so."

That eased Fili's worries a bit, but he still wanted to hear it outright.

"I met with Lord Baldar this morning to discuss the treaty for the coal," Thorin began.

"I am sorry I didn't join you as I promised," Fili broke in, honestly having completely forgotten the meeting in the face of working on Jade's gift.

"I am not upset about that," Thorin told him, waving him off. "Yet, what I am about to say could impact your entire future, so listen up."

.

.

Jade went directly to the royal wing, stopping to ask the guard if he had seen the crown prince.

"Aye, My Lady," the dwarrow bowed reverently. "He just returned a few minutes ago." He then pointed up the stairs the way Fili had gone.

Thanking the guard, Jade headed up, stopping first at Fili's room, but when no answer came, she tried Kili's, and then Dis's room…but to no avail. Unable to locate the prince, and not willing to disturb the king, she checked the only other place she thought he might be. Yet as she approached the royal meeting room, she stopped when she heard voices, the small crack where the door had not been properly shut affording her a way to hear what was being said within. Her heart leapt to her throat when she heard Fili's voice, excited to have found him at last. Still, she was not about to interrupt when she heard the king speaking as well. No, she would wait patiently to tell Fili her news when he was finished. Jade had just turned to leave, when she heard something that caused her heart to stop in her chest.

.

.

"What is it, Uncle?" Fili asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"I spoke with Lord Baldar today about the treaty to obtain their coal," Thorin spoke up, his tone deadly serious. "And it would seem that the one condition he will not budge on…is that in order for it to go through, _you_ must take his granddaughter, Jade, as your wife."

Fili stood there in shock. Had he heard correctly?

"I…I must marry Jade if Erebor is to gain the coal we so desperately need?" he repeated, hardly believing his ears. "Is that what you're telling me, Uncle?"

"Aye, it is," Thorin nodded, his tone deadly serious, yet he couldn't help the slight tug at the corners of his lips. "I know it is a _hardship_ for you, my sister-son. Forced to take a wife in order to seal a treaty, but I wouldn't ask it of you if there were any other way." By now his grin had grown larger and his eyes twinkled with humor. "Will you do this for your people? For the good of all Erebor?"

Fili could have shouted his joy from the rooftops, but instead, he chose to play along with his uncle, as well as his goofy brother, who sat there doing his best not to burst from holding his laughter in.

"You _do_ ask a lot, Great King Under the Mountain," he began, his tone also one of seriousness. "And while I had hoped you would hold to your promise never to force Kili or I into a political union…I can see why you ask it of me now. Thus, I will make the supreme sacrifice and offer up myself as a husband to the Lady of the Grey Mountains."

"You do your king and your people proud this day, Nephew," Thorin nodded, rising as he came forward and threw his arms around Fili – being careful of his injury - the two of them more than pleased at this rather unexpected, yet joyous, turn of events.

.

.

However, outside the room, Jade was anything but joyous…in fact, she was both mortified and pained beyond belief. King Thorin had all but _forced_ Fili into agreeing to marry her, and from the sound of it, the crown prince had only done so for the good of his people! This was _not_ how Jade wanted things to be! She was well aware of how dutiful the blond prince was, willing to do anything if it meant pleasing his uncle or helping his people. Yet, if Fili didn't wish to marry her for herself, then she would not accept!

Covering her mouth with her hand, Jade raced away, running down the stairs and out of the royal wing as if the Nine were on her heels. She heard the guard stationed at the bottom of the steps call out her name, but she didn't stop, not wanting anyone to see her cry. She had at last convinced herself that Fili truly cared for her…that the overwhelming feelings of love that burned in her heart were requited. Yet, the last few minutes had dashed all hopes of that being true.

Jade stumbled down the hallway, thankfully avoiding any who might be out and about, until she found herself a quiet alcove where she could stop and pull herself together. Leaning up against the stone wall, she covered her face with her hands and wept bitterly. She couldn't stay in Erebor any longer…not if Fili didn't love her. And going back to work for Dis was out of the question as well, for that would only mean she would see the dwarf she loved so ardently on a daily basis, only deepening the wound that now tore across her heart. No…she had to leave. Leave Fili. Leave Erebor. And she knew of only one person who could help her with that.

.

.

"Jade, what a nice surprise!" Lord Baldar greeted her when Hakim admitted her into the room. "Come, join me for dinner, they brought enough to feed an army." He stood and faced her head on, only then noticing her tear-streaked face and quivering lip. "JADE! What is wrong, my little jewel? What has happened?"

"Oh, Grandfather," she sobbed, racing into his now open arms. "I…I want to leave. I want to go back to the Grey Mountains with you. Tonight!"

"What? What nonsense is this?" he questioned, leading her to the sofa where he assisted her to sit. "I thought you wished to marry the prince? Has something changed?"

"Yes," she moaned, unable to look him in the eye. "It would appear _his_ feelings have. Or perhaps they never were what I imagined them to be. Whatever the case…Fili doesn't love me. And I can't remain here if that's the case."

"Oh, my poor dear," Baldar moaned, pulling her into his embrace once more. "I fear I have done you wrong then," he confessed. "For I told King Thorin I would only agree to the treaty if his nephew offered you his hand in marriage. I thought this might speed things along…that it would get him to admit his feeling for you as well, but apparently I was very wrong. Please forgive me."

"You couldn't have known how Fili truly felt, any more than I did," she reasoned, absolving him of all blame. "But I do _not_ want to marry a dwarf who is only doing so to seal a deal. I want love!"

"Of course, you do!" Baldar could feel his heart being ripped from his chest at her words, recalling that his own daughter had said nearly the same thing to him the night before she ran away almost ninety years ago. If only he had listened, then. But thank Mahal he was listening now! "And if leaving Erebor is _your_ wish, then so be it. We will depart this very moment, and Thorin Oakenshield and his faithless nephew can obtain their needed coal someplace else!"

"NO! I don't want that," she begged, pulling back as she stared up at him in horror. "I refuse to be the reason that Erebor suffers. Please, agree to the contract, but leave me out of it. It will be a profitable bargain for the Grey Mountains, and I would not have you lose out on that because of me. I just want to go…"

"Home?" Baldar supplied. "For that is where you belong, my child. The Grey Mountains will welcome you back into its fold, for you are one of us. Now come…we will be packed and ready in no time."

"Can…can we leave without anyone knowing?" Jade asked hopefully. "I truly do not want to make a scene, and I really don't wish to say goodbye to anyone. I will miss the Lady Dis…as well as Kili and Tauriel, but I just can't bear the idea of facing Fili."

"Yes, of course," Baldar nodded. He then called for Hakim, who had respectfully made himself scarce in order to give them their privacy. "See that word is sent that the Lady Jade and I are spending some family time together this night, and we do not wish to be disturbed." When Hakim nodded and headed off, he returned to sit beside Jade. "Now, we will wait until nightfall and slip out with as few knowing as possible. There will of course be the guards at the gate who will know, but hopefully, the king and his kin will not hear of it until morning, giving us plenty of time to put some distance between us and Erebor. Does this make you happy, my dear?"

"Oh, Grandfather…I don't think I will ever be happy again," she mourned, leaning against him as she gave a deep sigh. "Do broken hearts ever mend?"

"In time the pain might lessen…but no, I have found that sadly, they do not." And while he wanted to tell her they would in order to spare her feelings, the old dwarf couldn't bring himself to lie to Jade. And so, he simply held her while she cried.

.

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Back in the royal wing, Fili had been overjoyed by news of Baldar's request, and unable to contain himself any longer, he gave a loud whoop of glee, before turning to give his brother a one-arm embrace as well.

"I can't believe it!" he laughed. "Her grandfather _wants_ me to marry her! What could be better?"

"Actually _doing_ it?" Kili suggested, slapping his brother on the back. "I couldn't be happier for you, Nadad."

"I too am delighted that your happiness coincides with the betterment of Erebor," Thorin informed him. "I was as shocked as anyone when Lord Baldar requested such a thing, but I can see you are more than pleased that he did."

"That's an understatement! And here I thought you called me in to tell me that Jade was leaving Erebor," Fili revealed. "You really had me going with that straight face of yours, Uncle. I only hope when I'm king I can master such a look as well."

"It does take practice," Thorin mused. "But having to stand before the two of you as dwarflings and attempting to look upset when all I wanted to do was burst forth in laugher was a good teacher. Oh, the trouble you two got into, I honestly don't know how your mother and I survived."

"So…when can I speak to Jade about all this? When can I present my third courting gift to her?" Fili asked expectantly.

"Whenever you deem it proper," Thorin said with a nod. "Do you have a gift to offer her?"

"I've been working on it, but I'm not quite finished yet," he told them. At last going into a long and very detailed description of the masterpiece he was currently working on. Both Thorin and Kili asked many questions and watched with great interest as Fili took the time to draw out his design on a piece of parchment for them to see. "It will only take a little more time, perhaps less than a day if I can return to my work."

"Then what's stopping you, Brother?" Kili laughed, giving him a playful shove towards the door. "Now get going, and don't you dare come up from the forge rooms until you're done!"

"Wait…what about Jade? Shouldn't I at least go speak to her, and let her know of my intent?" Fili asked.

Yet before he could get an answer, there was a knock at the chamber door. A page stepped inside when Thorin gave him leave to enter, holding out a piece of paper to the king. After giving it a quick read, Thorin turned to Fili.

"It would seem you will be afforded more time to work on your gift, for the Lady Jade is spending the evening with her grandfather," he informed him. When Fili looked disappointed, he gave a warm laugh. "Cheer up, Lad. What is one more night apart when you two will have the rest of your lives to spend together? You should be happy!"

"Oh… _I am!"_ Fili nodded, his wide smile returning to his face. "And when she sees my gift, she will be as well. I hope."

"The lass will love it, I'm sure," Thorin assured him. "Now, do as Kili says and get going. The sooner it is done, the sooner we can make this all official."

"Yes, Uncle!" And off he went, eager to put the finishing touches on the gift that would secure the hand of the woman he loved.

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It was in the wee hours of the morning that Lord Baldar, Jade, and the rest of the Grey Mountain delegation departed Erebor. Granted, the guards at the mountain gate found it rather odd that the envoy would be leaving so unexpectedly and at such an odd time. However, a quick lie about how they had received urgent news from back home seemed to ease the soldier's mind. Baldar knew that the king would be informed of their departure first thing in the morning, but that was no longer his problem.

He had left the signed contract in his room, right next to the small bag that contained the courting bead that Fili had given Jade. Both items would leave no doubt in anyone's mind that the courtship was officially dissolved, but the treaty for the coal was still in place. Baldar had considered ripping the contract into pieces and refusing to deal with the royal family of Erebor ever again, but one look at his despondent granddaughter and he knew he would do no such thing. She was in enough pain already, the last thing she needed was to have the guilt of a broken treaty heaped upon her lovely shoulders. Still, it would have made Baldar feel better if he had at least punched that idiot lad, Fili, right in the nose for the hurt he had caused Jade. How could that pompous prince _not_ love her? Baldar had only met her a few days ago, and she had already wrapped _him_ around her little finger without even trying. Still, voicing his animosity towards the Durin prince would not help Jade to heal, thus the deal would go through, and she would return with him to the Grey Mountains. Baldar would be more than satisfied with that.

Hakim led the procession on his pony, with Baldar and Jade right behind on their own. The guards flanked them on all sides, but thus far they had not spotted any danger along the road. It would be nearly a week before they reached their southern home, and while he was not looking forward to the trek, Baldar couldn't help but be excited about the prospect of learning more about his beautiful granddaughter along the way. If, that is, she would ever raise her head and speak…for she had been painfully quite for the first several hours of their journey. He tried to blame it on tiredness, seeing as it was very late and neither one of them had slept. Yet, he knew it was her broken heart that had stolen her voice, and he could only hope that time would bring it back.

* * *

 ***T.O.W.G. stares at the screen in frustration* Well...THAT didn't turn out like we all planned, now did it?**

 **WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE? WHO'S RUNNING THIS SHOW? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! Oh, wait...that would be me! Eeeep...should I go run and hide?**

 **Nahhhh, you wouldn't throw me in the dungeons or anything, since if you did, you wouldn't get the next chapter! So, I'm going to assume I'm safe for now.**

 **Don't you just love a good misunderstanding? You don't? Well, I do!**

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Travelbug:** Yeah...it better be worth all the wait. But it can't be daggers, since that's what he gave her for their first courting gift. A nice map to where all HIS daggers can be found would be nice. ha ha. Yes, Baldar is a cool dwarf...yet, no matter what happens, when one meddles, it never ends well. Thanks.

 **Nala:** I do hope his third courting gift does not disappoint...it's hard to dream up something sentimental, useful, and enough to make his intentions clear. Yes, Baldar knew who his daughter ran off with...just not where they went. And he is a nice granddad...he learned his lesson. Or did he...I mean he IS meddling in thing, but for the right reasons at least. Nope, I am not one to let things go toooo smoothly. But I'm also not one to leave things in turmoil for long either. Thanks.

 **Guest B:** Yep, meddling never ends well. Unless it's Dis doing it...she meddles good. I'm with you...just lock them in a room and not let them out till they talk to each other. BUT, sorry, not gunna happen that way. Kili tries not to think too much, or if he does, it's only of Tauriel. So yes, his idea about them being cousins did hurt just a bit, and almost made Fili sick to his stomach. ha ha. More to come! Thanks.


	29. Chapter 29

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 ****BONUS CHAPTER****

 **Do not read out of order.**

See how nice I am?

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 **Chapter 29**

 **~X~**

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Fili had worked through the night, not even noticing the time or his own exhaustion. His shoulder ached something fierce, but he was too absorbed in his crafting to notice. This was undoubtedly a labor of love, and when he at last finished, holding it out before him, he knew it was the best thing he'd ever made. It was perfect! Absolutely perfect! Jade was guaranteed to say yes once she saw all the thought and hard work he'd put into it. If Fili thought the daggers he'd made, or the chain for her pendant, was fine…well _this_ was extraordinary - if he did say so himself.

Placing it carefully inside a leather satchel and throwing the strap over his shoulder, the exhausted prince headed out of the forges and towards his uncle's council chambers, figuring that is where he could be found at this time of the morning. Yet, when he arrived, he saw not only Thorin, but his mother, Balin, Dwalin, Kili and Tauriel all looking rather upset.

"What's the matter?" he asked, a knot forming in his stomach at the dark expressions they all wore. "Has something happened?"

At his voice, several pairs of eyes turned his way, each one filled with pity.

"Oh, Fili…I am so sorry," Dis stated, coming over and engulfing him in a comforting hug. "I don't know what happened."

"What do you mean?" Fili suddenly felt sick. What was she talking about?

"It would appear that Lord Baldar has left Erebor late last night in order to journey back to the Grey Mountains," Thorin spoke up, gesturing to a letter he held in his hands. "And while he signed the treaty for the coal…he also informed us that Jade wished to accompany him. I'm afraid she's left as well."

"WHAT? NO!" Fili was devastated. "She can't have gone! She wouldn't have done so without saying goodbye! We're courting!"

Here Dis pulled away and held out her hand, opening her palm so he could see the small bead that rested there. It was _his_ bead. The one he had given to Jade when they began their fake courtship, and the one he had hoped to replace with a marriage bead very soon. He reached out and took it from her with shaking fingers, unable to believe what he held. She had called off their courtship. Jade had rejected him.

"Was there any note? Did she say why?" he asked in a quiet voice, unable to take his eyes off the circular object that meant so much.

"No." Thorin answered. "Only that the treaty is still valid, but the courtship has been terminated. He does say it was _her_ decision though, that he did not force her to leave."

"This makes no sense!" Tauriel spoke up, unable to keep silent any longer. "Why would she want to leave when she confessed to me only yesterday of her feelings for Fili?"

Everyone turned and looked at the she-elf, her words causing surprise, confusion and hope all at once.

"She…she _told_ you that she has feeling for me?" Fili begged, taking a step closer to his brother's intended. "What kind of feelings?"

"The same ones you so obviously have for her," Tauriel explained in an exasperated tone. "Love!"

"Jade loves me?" Fili couldn't believe his ears. "She actually _loves_ me?"

"Why are you dwarves so difficult to convince of this?" the she-elf asked in puzzlement.

"Oh, you don't have to convince _me_ ," Kili laughed, looking at his stunned brother. "I could tell there was something there a long time ago, I just had no idea how serious it had become."

"When I spoke to her yesterday about this, she admitted that she was in love with Fili and headed off to inform him of exactly that." Tauriel turned and looked at the crown prince in confusion. "Am I to assume she never located you?"

"No! I never saw Jade last night," Fili protested, his eyes growing wide as he looked around the room. "Did any of you?"

"I thought she was with her grandfather," Dis spoke up.

"Aye. We received a note saying that she was spending time with him and didn't wish to be disturbed," Thorin offered, looking back at Tauriel in confusion. "What time was it that she left to search out Fili?"

"Not long before dinner," she explained. "We went to the training rooms, then to the dining hall to have a bite to eat. She left right after that and said she was going to search out Fili in the royal wing."

Thorin gestured to a nearby guard, calling him over.

"Find out who was stationed at the royal chambers around dinner time yesterday and have them brought to me at once," he ordered, causing the dwarf to scurry off to do his king's bidding.

Everyone waited anxiously, perplexed by this odd turn of events, but thankfully it didn't take long for the dwarf to be located and brought before Thorin.

"Did you see the Lady Jade last evening? Did she come looking for Prince Fili in the royal wing?" the king demanded.

"Yes, My Lord," the guard said with a bow. "She inquired if I knew of the prince's whereabouts, and I informed her that he had just made his way up." He looked from the king to Fili questioningly. "Did I do wrong?"

"No, of course not," Thorin assured him. "Yet I find it strange that she didn't actually speak to him."

"She left rather suddenly only a few minutes after she had gone up, My Lord," the guard continued. "She came running down the stairs and out into the hallway at quite a pace. I called out to her, asking if she needed assistance, but she did not respond, and I could not leave my post." Here he looked over at Fili with a grimace. "I couldn't see her face clearly, but if I had to say…I believe she looked to be crying."

"WHAT?" Now Fili was really upset and confused. "Why would she be crying? Who did she speak to? What had her so upset?"

Kili, who had been mulling over the events of the previous night, as well as the timeline they had pieced together, suddenly gave a strangled cry and slapped his hand over his forehead in dismay.

"Oh, Mahal! She must have overheard what we said and took it all the wrong way!" he moaned, a pained look on his face.

"What did you say?" Dis demanded, suddenly imagining all sorts of idiotic things coming from the males in her family. " _What_ did she misunderstand?"

Fili and Thorin were quick to catch on, both looking ill at the idea of what had been spoken in jest. Yet, it was Fili who ended up stumbling over to a chair to sit down, mortified by what she had inadvertently overheard.

"It was all a joke! None of it was true!" he groaned, just imagining how Jade had taken his foolish words. "Oh, what she must think of me now!"

"WHAT?" Dis was now on the verge of hysterics. "What did she overhear?"

"Baldar stated during our treaty meeting that he would only sign the agreement if I promised Fili's hand in marriage to Jade, "Thorin explained, when Dis' eyes grew wide with both shock and rage, he quickly added. "He said he was certain that Jade _wanted_ the marriage as well. And knowing that Fili desired nothing more than to wed the lass, I…" Here Thorin cringed, imagining how his commanding words must have sounded to the poor lass. "…I jokingly told Fili that he would _have_ to wed her for the good of our people. It was all said in fun though!"

"Yet, what Jade _heard_ was you forcing Fili into a political marriage," Dis demanded, her hands going to her hips as she glared at her idiot brother.

"Oh, but that's nothing compared to what _I_ said," Fili moaned, leaning forward as he buried his head in his hands. "I played along with it, stating that I would agree to the arranged marriage…even going so far as claiming I would make the _supreme sacrifice_ in doing so!"

"YOU DIDN'T!" Dis yelled, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "How could you all have been so stupid?"

"We didn't _know_ she was listening," Kili said in defense, though still appeared guilt-ridden by the part he had played in it. "Honest, we didn't!"

"And now she thinks I don't love her!" Fili stared at the bead in his hand, as if it alone held the power to destroy him. "She left Erebor imagining that I only agreed to marry her for political reasons." Suddenly he stood up, fisting the bead with a look of determination. "I must go after her!"

" _You_ are going nowhere!" Dis argued, stepping forward as she shook her finger at him. "It was you three males who messed this all up. And now it's a _female_ who will see it fixed!"

"Amad! I can't let her leave thinking the way she does!" Fili protested. "And you can't stop me."

"Can't I?" Dis questioned, raising an eyebrow at her eldest son. She then turned to the guards who stood nearby. "Please see that Prince Fili is escorted to his chambers and kept there. Post a sentry by his door if you must, but see that he does not leave."

"AMAD!" Fili gasped, looking almost as shocked as the two dwarrow who tentatively came to stand on either side of the prince as they had been ordered.

"Dis, you would confine your own son?" Thorin asked in a shocked voice.

"I will not see this travesty go any further, and him running after her will only cause more harm than good," Dis explained. "This needs to be handled with tact and finesse."

"But you can't be serious about locking me in my chambers…and with a guard posted at my door no less!" Fili further protested.

"No, perhaps you're right," she nodded, turning to the still flabbergasted soldiers. "On second thought…post _two_ guards. My son is rather sneaky. Now go, you have your orders."

"Please, Your Highness," the guard said to Fili, gesturing towards the door. "We do not wish to use force."

"Yes, do be careful with his left arm, he is still nursing a wound," Dis added, waving them off as Fili allowed himself to be led away, his mouth still open in shock over his mother's apparent betrayal. Once he had left the room, she then turned back to the others, who also looked as if they thought she had lost her mind.

"Amad?" Kili asked, unable to formulate the words he wished to say.

"Kili, I want you and Dwalin to take a garrison of dwarves and go after Lord Baldar's party and bring them back immediately," she ordered.

"That could be seen as an act of war," Thorin pointed out, still unsure if he should step in and put a halt to his sister's mad plans. Still…she was usually right more often than wrong. "It could cost us the treaty for the coal."

"And what is more important to you, Brother? Getting the fuel we need for a better price, or the future happiness of your nephew?" Dis demanded. "I suggest you think carefully before you speak, for the wrong answer will not sit well with me!"

"I need no time to think on my reply, and you know very well that Fili's happiness is all that matters here," Thorin huffed, rubbing his chin for a moment before looking over at Kili and Dwalin. "You heard her! Get going, and don't you dare come back without them in tow!"

"Aye, Uncle!" Kili said with a wide grin, eager to obey any order that would assist his brother in getting back the dam he loved. It appeared that Dwalin was of the same mind, and the two of them turned towards the door at great speed.

"Wait!" Dis called after them, causing them to skid to a halt. "Take Tauriel with you, just to make sure you hot-headed males don't mess things up… _again!"_ She gave the elf lass a roll of her eyes. "And make sure there is no bloodshed! We don't want to add injury to insult. This can all still be sorted out, if done correctly." Next, she turned to Thorin. "And _this_ is how it shall be done."

.

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Baldar had been watching his granddaughter out of the corner of his eye for the past several hours, yet she had yet to lift her gaze beyond the mane of her pony. It broke his heart to see her so sad, and he had a good mind to turn the entire company around and march back to Erebor and run that good-for-nothing prince through with his sword. It was surprising how quickly he had become attached to his daughter's child, feeling as if he had known her all her life, instead of merely a few days. He knew that he would do anything for her, and he only hoped that whatever that was would be enough.

They had only traveled a moderately short distance from Erebor, in comparison to how far they still had to go, when the sound of hoofbeats came thundering behind them. Turning around, he watched as his soldiers formed a protective circle around him and Jade, their weapons drawn and ready to do battle. Yet when their pursuers came into view, Lord Baldar gave a sigh of relief, seeing that it was a garrison of dwarves and not the orcs they had feared it might be. Still, what these dwarrow from Erebor were doing overtaking them this way was a mystery…and one that had his brows furrowing in anger.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" he demanded as soon as the troop of dwarves were within ear shot. "ARE WE UNDER ATTACK?"

"Of course not, Lord Baldar," Kili called back. "Yet it is by the order of King Thorin that you and your party return to Erebor at once."

"Return? What for?" the older dwarrow angrily inquired, his gaze drifting to his stunned looking granddaughter. He could tell she was frightened, but he wasn't sure if it was due to the amount of warriors the prince had brought with him, or the idea of going back to the mountain. "And who is Thorin Oakenshield to make demands on me?" Baldar sneered.

"He is the king of the Lonely Mountain, heir of Durin, and the leader of an army far superior to yours!" came Dwalin's gruff reply. "Now, you will either come along peacefully…or by force!" At this he pulled one of his axes off his back and fingered it suggestively.

At this, the Grey Mountain dwarves began to brandish their own weapons, murmuring amongst themselves in anger, apparently ready to fight. Kili, who had been prepared to make a reply before Dwalin butted in, rolled his eyes and looked over at Tauriel.

"I'm beginning to understand what Amad was talking about when she called us _hot-headed males,"_ he grumbled quietly. Then raising his voice, he did his best to defuse a potentially volatile situation. "Lord Baldar, we mean you no harm or insult. Yet, it is my king's wish that you please return to the mountain…only for a short time, and then you will be welcome to continue on your way back to your home. I promise."

Baldar was torn. While he would have liked to go back and give Thorin and his other nephew a piece of his mind, he feared the effect this might have on Jade. She had been so desperate to leave, could he now drag her back to face the idiot dwarf that had hurt her so badly?

"I leave the choice in the hands of my granddaughter," he announced at last, causing Jade's head to snap in his direction. "For she is the one who is the injured party here."

"Grandfather! I…I…" Jade stammered, unsure what to say.

Kili sensed her hesitancy and nudged his mount forward, closing some of the distance between them, yet remaining safely out of harms way.

"Jade? Please come back," he begged. For a while now, he had been thinking of her as his soon to be sister-in-law, and the thought of it no longer happening tore at his heart.

"I assure you, Jade, that no harm will befall you or your kin if you agree to return," Tauriel added, riding forth to stand beside her beloved. "You have my word…as a friend."

Jade stared at the two of them for a long while, wanting so desperately to believe them. Yet, could anything they said, or anything that would happen, change how things stood? Fili had agreed to marry her, which had been exactly what she had desired…but for all the wrong reasons! If they expected her to overlook that fact and just go along with things the way they were, well they were in for a big disappointment. Still, she wouldn't be the one that caused war between the Grey Mountains and Erebor.

"I…I will return with you," she said at last, lowering her head as she fought back the tears. "That is, _if_ my Grandfather agrees."

"It would appear we have little choice," Baldar huffed, signaling for his soldiers to sheath their weapons, and fall back into formation. "Lead on, Prince. But do not think such insults will be overlooked, and your king will be getting an earful, that you can be sure of."

"I'm sure he expects no less," Kili said with a slight flinch, imagining the tongue lashing this older dwarrow had planned for his uncle. For about the millionth time, Kili thanked Mahal that he had not been the firstborn and heir to the throne. This ruling stuff was _not_ for him!

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The travel back to the mountain was done in silence, with no one wishing to speak a word, either to each other or those escorting them. Lord Baldar tried several times to get Jade to tell him how she was feeling, but she waved him off each time, unwilling to say a word. Even when they stopped to rest their mounts, she shied away from everyone, not even wanting to speak to Kili or Tauriel. So it was they at last reached the mountain gates, just as the sun was beginning to set, casting a rosy hew over the stone figures on either side.

They all dismounted and were escorted into the main hall, with Baldar, Jade and Hakim being the only three who were led up the stairs towards the throne room. Kili's eyes kept drifting to where Jade walked beside him, yet not once did she look his way or give him one of her usual smiles. He could tell that she had been hurt badly by Fili's unknowing words, and he only hoped this could all be sorted out in the end.

When they reached the throne room, two guards pulled the doors open, allowing the party to enter. Thorin sat on the raised dais at the far end, looking every inch a king in his raven-wing crown and royal robes. Dis stood at his side, with Balin next to her. The only one missing was Fili.

"I DEMAND TO KNOW THE MEANING OF SUCH AN INSULT!" Baldar roared as he stormed forward, eager to sink his teeth into the king. "I have never been treated so rudely in all my life! I have a good mind to dissolve our treaty for the coal!"

"There is no need for that," Thorin informed him, his tone deep and threatening. "For I do hereby end it myself." At this, he stood up, took the scroll he held in his hands and ripped it in half, dropping both pieces in a dramatic gesture. Everyone watched as they float down the steps to land silently on the floor, not a word being spoken.

Just then the door to the side opened and Fili was escorted in by two dwarrow, both on either side and holding onto his upper arms. The blond prince looked furious, yet the moment he spotted Jade, his expression changed to one of shock and remorse. Jerking free of the guards' hold, he stepped forward.

"Uncle! What is going on?" he demanded, having no idea what had transpired during his time in confinement.

"I have just informed Lord Baldar that I no longer wish to engage in trade with the Grey Mountains," he told his nephew, yet never once taking his eyes off the older dwarrow in front of him. "I will be getting the coal we need to fuel the forges from the White Mountains instead. Thus, we have no reason whatsoever to form an alliance with Lord Baldar's people, political or otherwise."

"And you drug us all the way back here just to tell us that?" Baldar barked, his face turning red from anger. "You have some nerve, Thorin Oakenshield!"

"Uncle…what are you saying?" Fili was very confused now.

"I am saying that since I want nothing from the Grey Mountain kingdom, and we have nothing of value to them, then you are free to choose whomever _you_ wish to marry," Thorin told him. "You are under no obligation to pick a bride for any other reason but love, just as I always promised you could."

At this, Jade's head came up, her eyes falling on Fili as pain etched its way across her face. Had she been brought back simply to have salt rubbed in her open wound? Was she now to be forced to hear from his own lips that he would be ending their courtship so he could marry another? Oh, how she wanted to simply curl up and die right there on the spot.

"You are free to choose, my son," Dis prompted, knowing that his next few words would change things for everyone. "So… _choose."_

At last, the blond prince seemed to understand what his mother and uncle were telling him. This was his chance to set things straight. Thus, Fili began to slowly make his way down from the dais, his eyes never leaving Jade's, though he could tell she was fighting back tears. Oh, how he had hurt her, and it felt like a knife in his chest. He only prayed that he could convince her of his love and make things right at last.

"Jade, if I had all the dams of Middle Earth lined up before me at this moment, and each of them willing to give me their hand in marriage…I would choose only you," Fili said, stopping but a few feet from her. " _You_ are the only one for me, and if you will forgive me for my foolish words the other night – words that meant nothing – I would spend the rest of my life convincing you of my undying love." Here he reached into the satchel he had been carrying since he left the forges and pulled out his final courting gift for her. "Jade, I want to marry you, and if you accept this last gift, you will make me the happiest dwarf in all Middle Earth." And holding out the intricately crafted royal circlet, he dropped to one knee, holding it out to her as a heartfelt offering. "Please Jade, accept my final courting gift?"

Jade was stunned, not only by Fili's proposal, but over the fact that he had gone to the trouble to make her such a lovely offering as well. Thorin had said he no longer wanted the treaty…that Fili was free to choose his own bride. And now, here he was, on one knee before her and asking her to become his wife. How had things gone from good, to horrible, and back to amazing in such a short time? Could she believe his words? Should she still believe what he said the other night, or what he was saying now? She was so confused.

"But…but I thought you said…" she began but was cut off by his look of utter misery.

"NO! I never meant a word of that!" he all but begged her to believe. "Thorin knew I had every intention of asking you to be my wife all along. He knew I had fallen head over heels in love with you and no longer considered this a fake courtship. That foolishness you overheard about it being a hardship and a sacrifice was all said in jest."

"It's true, Jade," Dis spoke up, her hands clenched together over her heart. "Fili was devastated when he heard you had left the mountain. I literally had to lock him in his chambers in order to stop him from wildly chasing after you."

"For which I'm still very upset about, Amad!" Fili broke in, turning his head slightly to glare at her. "What was _that_ all for anyway?"

"If you had run after her without _proof_ of your love, or at least proof that you were not being forced into it, you would have had a very hard time convincing her of the truth," she explained with a roll of her eyes. "Yet now…" She gestured towards Jade, letting her sentence trail off.

"Yes…now?" Fili asked hopefully, looking back up at Jade. _"Now_ do you believe me? Now do you understand that I am unable to live without you? That you are my life, Jade?" He continued to kneel there, his heart pounding with both hope and fear.

"Oh, come on, Jade!" Kili called from where he stood off to the side. "He'll be impossible to live with if you don't take him back! He'll spend all his time moping around as if his life is over. You wouldn't want to put _me_ through that misery, would you?"

This got everyone laughing, even Jade, who was currently wiping at her cheeks.

"Well…I suppose…if it will make _Kili's_ life easier," she stammered, doing her best to smile through her tears. "I…I will take you back, Fili." And before any more could be said, she sank to her knees as well and wrapped her arms around him, bringing her forehead to his as she looked into his misty blue eyes. "As long as you promise that you truly do love me…at least half as much as I love you."

"I do! And more!" he swore, bringing his free hand up to cup the back of her head, slowly bringing her closer until their lips met, sealing his promise with a kiss.

Jade couldn't categorize all the emotions she was currently feelings, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was happy… _no, elated!_ She was back in Fili's arms, right where she always wanted to be, and the fact that he was also giving her the kiss of a lifetime, well, _that_ only made it better.

"I'm so sorry about this whole mix up," Fili told her when they parted for breath. "I feel terrible that I caused you even a moment's pain or doubt."

"Shhhh," she instructed, placing her fingers against his lips. "That's all in the past. I know this courtship all began as a hoax, a way of saving our reputations…but somewhere along the way it has turned into the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, Fili son of Flinn. And right now, only our future matters…a future that for me will only be with you."

"Just where I want you to be…always," and once more he brought them together with a heated kiss, never wanting to be more than a breath apart from her.

"Ummm, we're happy for you and all…but this is getting kind of sickening," came Kili's disgruntled voice, breaking in on their precious moment.

"KILI!" both Dis and Tauriel gasped simultaneously, shocked by his insensitivity. The red-headed elf maid also gave his arm a smack, causing him to flinch as he rubbed it tenderly.

"Well it is! I mean I'm happy they're back together and all, but come on…he's my brother!" Kili whined. "It's creepy seeing him kissing like that."

"So, you wish for me to censor my affections when around you, Naddith?" Fili chuckled, sparing a moment from gazing at his love to eye his brother. "If that's the case, then I will be expecting the same from you in _your_ displays of affection for Tauriel."

"WHAT? No!" Kili was aghast at the idea, looking up at the elleth at his side in horror at the idea. "On second thought…you have my full permission. Kiss away!"

"With pleasure," Fili grinned, prepared to do just that.

"Hold on!" came another gruff voice from behind them. "I do believe, as Jade's grandfather, I should have a bit of a say in who will, or will not, be kissing her." The two young lovers looked up to see Lord Baldar glaring down at them with his arms crossed over his chest. "According to dwarven tradition…you two will still be needing _my_ permission to marry."

At this, Fili stiffened, then taking hold of Jade beneath her elbow, he helped her to her feet. They faced the lord of the Grey Mountains with fear in their eyes, knowing that they had one final obstacle to overcome before they could be happy.

"Lord Baldar," Fili said, crossing his arm at his waist and giving a deep bow. "It is with my whole heart that I hereby beg you for the hand of your granddaughter. I swear to treasure her above all else, to love her to the end of my days, and never, ever, cause her another moment of sadness. Please…will you grant me this kindness?" When the older dwarf appeared unfazed by Fili's heartfelt plea, Jade made her own petition.

"Please, Grandfather?" she asked, stepping closer and placing both her hands on his folded arm. "I _do_ love him…very, very much."

At this, his countenance melted, and he gave her a knowing smile.

"It was not hard to figure that out, my little jewel," he assured her, reaching out to embrace her in a gentle hug. "And if this dwarf makes you happy…then you do indeed have my blessing." However, before either could react to his words, he turned to the group and held up a hand. "Upon the condition that until the wedding, Jade shall return to the Grey Mountains. I would like to introduce her to the rest of her kin, as well as the dwarves of her homeland." He looked from Jade to Fili and back again hopefully. "Is this acceptable?"

"I would love to meet my Uncle and his family, as well as see the lands where my mother and father came from," Jade smiled, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek.

"And you, lad?" Baldar questioned, looking at Fili.

"It will be a trial to be parted from her, but I would not deprive her, or her family, of such a visit." He gave another bow of subjection. "Just please…don't let the separation be too long. I don't think I could live without her for an extended period of time."

"Then go with her, you fool!" came the gruff voice of Thorin. "It's not as if Erebor will fall apart without you around for a month or two. In fact, it might fare better."

"Do…do you mean it, Uncle?" Fili asked excitedly.

"Of course he does," Dis assured him, smiling proudly at her brother. "He is the king, after all, so you have no choice but to obey." She then looked at Lord Baldar. "That is, if my son is _permitted_ to accompany you. We would not wish to encroach on family matters."

"Since it seems the lad will be family soon enough, I see no harm in him tagging along," Baldar laughed. "However, I will personally see to it that they are well chaperoned the entire time."

"I would hope so," Thorin nodded. "For it has been my experience that the two of them together cause more trouble than is healthy. It will be a burden lifted from _my_ shoulders as well, if you would take them to the Grey Mountains until it's time for the wedding."

"Which I will be planning the entire time you're gone," Dis stated, clapping her hands in glee.

"Wait…what about _our_ wedding?" Kili asked, looking up at Tauriel with a worried expression. "Ours is supposed to be in three months. You can't expect us to wait longer just because Fili finally got his love life back on track!"

"Why not have a double wedding then?" Balin suggested, speaking up for the first time. "It would be the event of the century! Two dwarf kingdoms untied in marriage, as well as a union between the mountains and the woods. People will come from all around to see such a spectacle."

"Sounds fine with me!" Kili grinned, looking up at Tauriel for confirmation. When she also smiled and leaned down to kiss her dwarf, everyone figured they had their answer.

"I'm all for it as well," Fili laughed, taking Jade's hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "Just as long as Jade is happy with the idea."

"I would marry you today if I could," she assured him, loving how he stared at her as he spoke.

"Well, _that_ I fear cannot be arranged," he told her reluctantly. "Yet, may this final courting gift leave no doubt in anyone's mind that very soon, you will be my wife, and the new princess of the kingdom of Erebor." Here he held out the circlet once again, allowing her to view the carvings around the band. "For here I have engraved your titles," he said, pointing to the dwarven runes she was still struggling to learn. "It says, 'Lady Jade of the Grey Mountains and Princess of Erebor, only love of Fili, crown prince of the line of Durin'." And before she could open her mouth to say a word, he reached up and placed it on her head. "There, now it's official. You've accepted my gift, thus we are now engaged to be married."

"Oh, Fili!" she nearly sobbed, throwing her arms around him once more as he twirled her around, the two of them breaking out in laughter.

.

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While the two continued on, hugging everyone in the room as talk of the double wedding took precedence, Thorin stepped down from the dais and came to stand beside Lord Baldar, noting that Hakim was dabbing his moist eyes with a handkerchief.

"So…may I assume that the Grey Mountains will _not_ be declaring war with Erebor over my slight insult?" he asked the older dwarrow, lacing his hands behind his back as he smiled at his nephew's happiness.

"You call bringing a garrison of soldiers to round us up like bandits and force us to return to the mountain under duress _slight_?" he growled, looking at Thorin as if he had lost his mind.

"For the record, this was _all_ my sister's idea," Thorin said in his defense. "Still, it got the job done, did it not?" Here he gestured towards the laughing couple. "And as they say, the ends justify the means."

"Aye…I suppose you're right," Baldar nodded, smiling at how joyful his granddaughter appeared to be. "I guess true love always wins in the end."

"It would appear so," Thorin agreed. "Now…about that treaty for the coal. Since Fili and Jade are already engaged, do you think we might be able to revisit the idea of purchasing fuel from you in the future?"

"I could see my way to reopening negotiations," Baldar said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But don't you go expecting any family discounts."

"Mahal no! I wouldn't dream of it!" Thorin gasped, the two dwarves staring at each other for a moment before they too broke out in laughter.

"Thorin, I think this might be the beginning of a very profitable friendship," the lord of the Grey Mountains stated.

"I thoroughly agree," Thorin smiled, holding out his hand as the two shook on the deal.

* * *

 **Yipppeee, everyone is happy now! And I promise not to throw in any more impediments to that fact.**

 **Dis took charge like a boss, and everyone else fell in line like they should. But wow...locking up your own son, that's hardcore Dis...hardcore.**

 **Did everyone like the third courting gift?**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Ok, FINE...you've begged enough...was their talk satisfactory to you? Did they get things straight at last? (wink wink). See, all you had to do was ask nicely and I gave them their moment to speak. ha ha.

 **Emrfangirl:** Missed you lately...you were my 300th review and then fell off the face of the earth for a bit. ha ha. Glad you are back. Yes, I am a bad author (hangs head...but only for a second). But see what I did here? I fixed it! I really, really did! Do I get a "good author" now?


	30. Chapter 30

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.

 **Well, this is it. The last chapter.**

 **If you've enjoyed reading my story, please take a second and drop me a final note in farewell. Even if you've never reviewed before, I would like to know how many out there have been reading.**

 **I would really appreciate it.**

 **Thanks**

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 **Chapter 30**

 **Epilogue**

 _ **~ Exactly one year and three months in the future ~**_

~X~

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As the sun trickled through the crystal tubes and into their room, Jade's eyes opened, blinking away the sleep. A smile spread over her face as she realized what day it was… _their first-year anniversary!_

Rolling over onto her side, she propped her head up on one hand as she stared at her sleeping husband. Oh, he was magnificent. Even a full year later, she couldn't get over how fortunate she was to have found someone as amazing as her Fili. Her heart still quickened every time he looked at her, and his kisses always set her blood on fire. And today, on the anniversary of their marriage, she had the most wonderful gift for him.

Thinking back on the months before their wedding, Jade recalled how wonderful it had been to visit the Grey Mountains, and meet her extended family at last. Her Uncle Balmor had been overjoyed to meet his sister's daughter, and she had quickly formed a fast friendship with is wife, Pella. Young Boran and Doran were quick to accept their new aunt into the family, forever begging her to read to them or play every game they could think of. Needless to say, Jade had no trouble fitting in and feeling right at home.

She was curious as to why she received so many odd looks from the older dwarrow on the streets as they toured the mountains, but soon came to realize the reason when her grandfather took her to the hall of portraits. There she was able to see a likeness of her mother for the first time, rather stunned that the two of them did indeed share a striking resemblance.

"She was kind to a fault and loved by all," Lord Baldar told her, a lone tear making its way down his cheek as he stared at the painting. "But none more than me. I only pray that she was able to forgive my foolishness and did not grow to hate me over my blindness."

"I'm certain she understood the situation you were in, and didn't hold it against you, Grandfather," Jade said, doing her best to console the grief-stricken dwarf. "I'm sure she loved you to the end." She then took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know that I do."

"You are far too good to an old dwarf like me," he smiled, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her head. "And though you only just arrived, your presence will be missed greatly when you leave."

"The Grey Mountains are not so far from Erebor that visits are out of the question, you know," she grinned. "And now that I know where my true family lives, nothing and no one can keep me from returning frequently."

"Nor will it keep me from traveling to see you, my little jewel," he assured her.

Jade was also able to meet her father's sister, the only living relative on her paternal side. Her Grandfather had gone to great efforts to locate her kin from that side of her family simply to make her happy. It was through her aunt that she was able to also see what her father had looked like, the older dam having kept a small charcoal sketch of the dwarf who had sired her. Many times during her stay, Jade had been reduced to tears over the love and kindness shown to her by those she had just met…yet who held so much affection for their long lost relative.

Still, the two months flew by, leaving only a short amount of time for all to return to Erebor for their upcoming wedding. Lord Baldar had blubbered like a baby when she had asked him to escort her down the aisle to her intended, agreeing to the honor wholeheartedly. It was quite the caravan who made the trip to Erebor this time, with many of her kin and those close to the family wishing to attend the celebration.

Fili had been on his best behavior while in the Grey Mountains…well, except for a few stolen kisses when no one was looking – but Jade had not minded a bit. Still, he was anxious to return to The Lonely Mountin, having missed his brother, and naturally eager to marry the love of his life. So it was, when they made their way through the gates of Erebor, nearly everyone came out to greet them.

Kili was the first to welcome his brother home, with Tauriel giving Jade a warm sisterly hug as well. It would appear that they had been missed. Not that this had caused the plans for the double wedding to have been delayed, with Dis having everything well in hand.

King Thranduil and Legolas arrived not long after, and as the day of the double wedding approached, more guests began to arrive. Brayden came riding up from the south, accompanied by none other than King Thengel himself, having been rather pleased to have been invited. They weren't the only ones who filtered in during the final days, with Dain from the Iron Hills, Elrond from Rivendell, Gandalf the Grey, and even Bilbo from the Shire showing up to witness the unprecedented double wedding. During this time, Fili, Kili, Jade and Tauriel were not given a moment's rest, what with fittings, rehearsals, and every other minute detail needing their attention and approval.

Still, when the day finally arrived, Jade could not have been happier. The fancy gold and blue gown she wore made her feel like a queen, and she was doubly pleased that Dis had thought to have secret pockets sewn inside the skirt so she could carry Fili's first courting gifts hidden within. She also made sure to wear her mithril chain with the pendant she had carried all her life, proudly displayed for all to see. Her final courting gift would be placed on her head after the ceremony, when Thorin officially announced her as a princess of Erebor. It was all quite surreal for Jade, the orphan lass raised in a village of men, suddenly becoming royalty. Yet, when her Grandfather entered the chamber where she waited, and gave her a tearful hug and kiss, she knew she had found her true home at last. She was among her own people, and this would be the first day of the rest of her life…with Fili.

Fili and Jade's ceremony was held first, in the Hall of Kings, surrounded by the larger than life statues of his ancestors. The blond prince was rendered speechless when his beautiful bride was escorted down the aisle, smiling at him as her hand was placed within his. Thorin, of course, presided over the service, joining them in the bonds of matrimony, and if anyone noticed the small catch in his voice that betrayed his emotions, they didn't say a word.

Dis was a mess, crying tears of joy and wiping her eyes with the handkerchief Bilbo had kindly provided – since no self-respecting hobbit would be without one, you know. Once the vows were spoken, and Jade was crowned with her royal circlet, the whole mountain went wild, overjoyed by the fact that their crown prince had at last taken a bride. Yet, the kiss that followed had been Jade's favorite part, for even a full year later, she could still recall the overflow of love that Fili had put into it, knowing that she would never forget that moment of true bliss.

Kili and Tauriel's nuptials came later that evening, on the battlement where the stars in the sky were visible to all. They had braziers lit everywhere so the guests could see what was going on, due to the lack of a moon that night. Still it didn't hamper anyone from noticing the way certain stars that were beloved to the elves shone brightly down on the couple. This time it was King Thranduil who conducted the ceremony, it being held mostly in Sindarin, yet he had kindly translated the most important parts into Western for the sake of the dwarves, men, and hobbit in attendance. Thus, when the final words were spoken, the silver rings had been exchanged, and they were at last announced as husband and wife, Kili wasted no time in sealing it with a kiss that brought a blush to many of the guests' faces. A loud clearing of the throat by Thranduil finally brought an end to the rather amorous display of affection, but it appeared that nothing was going to dampen the newlywed's spirits that night.

The reception that followed would be talked about for years to come, with so many different races involved, it was what Balin called a diplomatic masterpiece. Jade danced with her Grandfather, Brayden, Legolas, and most of the company, yet the majority of the time Fili refused to leave her side. Kili too made his rounds, yet allowing Tauriel to only offer a few select dances with those of her kin, and one with Fili, before claiming her once more for the rest of the evening.

Bombur had outdone himself with the feast, leaving everyone stuffed and rubbing their bellies as they enjoyed the festivities. It was late in the evening when the two couples were at last able to sneak away to enjoy the rest of the night in private. Jade had been understandably nervous, but Fili had gone to great lengths to ensure that their first time had been filled with love, laughter, and more pleasure than either of them had honestly anticipated. Even now, Jade couldn't seem to get enough of her amazing husband, the two of them sneaking off every chance they got.

Kili and Tauriel didn't seem to be any less pleased with their union, and if the way they also carried on like twitterpated bunnies, Jade assumed their marriage was just as happy as her own.

And so, here she was, a year later, staring down at her sleeping husband, anxious to wake him up so she could give him the gift she had been dying to reveal for several weeks now. Yet, seeing him like this brought a tender smile to her lips, loving how peaceful he looked without the worries and cares of his royal duties weighing on his shoulders. Open war had not yet been declared, yet the dark skies over Mordor and the increasing number of orcs that roamed the lands spoke of it coming soon. But it would not come today, and Jade fully intended to enjoy every moment with her husband that she could…as well as every day that followed.

"I can feel you staring at me," came the sleepy voice of Fili. "Your eyes have boring a hole in my head for the past few minutes. If I didn't know any better, I might be worried you intended to assassinate me."

"WHAT?" Jade gasped, startled by his apparent feigning of sleep. "Assassinate you? Never! That would mean Kili would be next in line for the throne and Mahal help Erebor if _that_ ever came to pass!" She teased, always loving his quirky sense of humor.

"True," Fili laughed, opening his eyes and gazing up at his beautiful wife. "I suppose that _would_ be a fate worse than death for all dwarf-kind."

"Besides, I enjoy being married to you far too much to ever wish you harm," she grinned, leaning down to kiss his willing lips. "Especially today, on our first-year anniversary."

"That's right!" Fili said, sitting up with an excited look on his face. "It _is_ our anniversary day!"

"I certainly hope you hadn't let it slip your mind till now," Jade huffed. "It is quite a monumental occasion!"

"Of course I didn't forget," he pouted. "That's the beauty of Kili and I sharing the same wedding day…we can both help each other remember." He then threw back the covers and bounded out of bed, giving Jade a fine view of his bare chest, even if he still wore his sleeping trousers. "Not that I would have forgotten anyway, but it never hurts to have someone there to remind me. However, I think you will be very pleased with what I have for you."

"You got me something?" Jade questioned, not having suspected anything less, but it was touching that he seemed so excited about presenting it to her. "I too have a gift for you, to celebrate a full year of happiness."

"It _has_ been a good year, hasn't it?" Fili nodded, returning to her side long enough to give her a very long and passionate kiss.

"Was that my gift?" she hummed in pleasure when they at last parted. "If so, I could use _two_ of them."

"No, that was not your gift," Fili laughed. "Yet I am only too happy to fulfil your request." Which he did, the second kiss taking a bit more time and leaving her further breathless from his amorous attentions. "Now…you just sit right there and let me show you what I got."

Jade took a few deep breaths, attempting to clear her love-soaked mind before sitting up on the bed with her legs crossed. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her nightgown and placed her hands obediently in her lap, waiting as patiently as possible for her gift. She had no idea what her husband had been planning, yet she couldn't wait to see what he had come up with. Fili was nothing if not thoughtful, and he had a knack for knowing just what would make her smile. It was just one more thing she loved about him and could only hope _her_ gift would garnish the same results.

Jade watched as Fili walked over to the large wooden dresser that stood against the wall, and reaching behind it, he pulled out two large, flat items wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. They were not small, with each one reaching Fili's shoulder in height, making it extra hard to figure out their identity. Unable to guess what they might be, Jade furrowed her brow in question as she stared at the goofy grin on her husband's face.

"What are they?" she asked, crawling over to the edge of the bed in order to get closer.

"You have to open them and see," he urged, nearly vibrating with anticipation and glee. "Do this one first!" Fili instructed, pushing the one on his left towards the bed.

Jade took hold of the string, quickly untied the knot and carefully ripped the paper off, not wanting to damage it in any way. Yet what she saw had her pulling back as she covered her mouth in shock and delight. For there, starting back at her, was none other than the faces of her adoptive parents, Ursa and Gunnar. The painting being so detailed and accurate that she felt they would start speaking to her any moment.

"OH FILI!" she cried, amazed at how lifelike it was. "How did you…I mean, it looks just like them. However did you manage it?" Jade could hardly find the words to express her surprise, never having expected such a precious gift.

"I remembered you saying once that you wished someone had done a portrait of them for you before they died," he explained, apparently well pleased by her reaction. "So, I sent a few of our best artists to the Dunlands, and then to Rohan, to get their descriptions from your cousin Sella and Brayden. I'd hoped they captured them well enough, since I had nothing to gauge it by, not having ever met them myself."

"It's perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Jade was crying by now, her watery eyes blurring the sight and causing her to wipe the tears away with the back of her hand. "It looks just like them!"

"Good, since I was told that both Brayden and Sella approved the original sketch," he nodded in satisfaction. "Now, open this one!"

Jade was still completely flabbergasted by the first gift, she couldn't imagine what the second would be. Still, she realized she should have known the moment she removed the paper, and this time found herself looking at a second portrait…this time of her dwarf parents, Lila and Jarl. Granted, she had been shown what they looked like before, but to see them here, together in full color, well it made quite the impression.

"Fili…I…I don't know what to say," she gushed, reaching out to gently touch the canvas with trembling fingers.

"You don't need to say anything, your expression says it all," he grinned, quite tickled with his accomplishment. "I'm just happy that it pleases you."

"Pleases me?" Jade laughed. "I would say I am far beyond pleased!" And to demonstrate her joy, she leapt from the bed and threw her arms around her husband's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love them…and I love you!"

Fili would have happily returned the embrace, but both his hands were busy holding up the portraits and didn't dare let go lest they come to harm. Still, he did accept the shower of kisses that Jade placed all over his face, ending with another long passionate one on his lips…much to his delight.

"Where shall we put them?" Jade asked, once she felt she had thanked him properly. She began to look around, inspecting the space on the walls for the perfect location.

"NOT IN HERE!" Fili barked out in horror. "I refuse to have my wife's parents staring at me while I bed their daughter! And believe me, wife, that is something that will continue to happen quite frequently."

Jade covered her lips with her fingers, trying to hide her smile as her face blushed bright red. "Yes, that would be rather disconcerting," she agreed.

"I think in the main room would be the wisest choice," Fili stated, picking up the two paintings and laying them against the wall for the time being. "But first…you said something about having a gift for me?" His eyes were bright with eager anticipation as he returned to the bed and crawled back on it with her beside him. "Can I have it now?"

"Certainly," Jade grinned, more than willing to share it with him. She leaned over the large mattress and reached into the nightstand, pulling out a small, wrapped box and handing it to him. "I know it's not as large as the gifts you gave me, but I hope you like it just as much."

"Oh, I have no doubt that I will," Fili agreed, his face looking almost childlike as he tore through the paper and opened it. Yet, what he saw inside confused him. "Ummm, I think you made a mistake," he told her, reaching in and pulling out the mithril chain that held the pendant that had once belonged to Jade's mother. "Did you wrap the wrong thing?"

"No…" she said, reaching out and taking the pendant from his hand and holding it up. "My Grandfather gave this to my mother, and then she in turn gave it to me." Here she took a deep breath before speaking the final words, lifting the chain as she placed it over his head to rest against his bare chest. "And now, I thought that maybe _you_ could give it to _our_ child…when he or she is born."

Fili's eyes grew so wide Jade thought they would fall out of his head at her news, which was thankfully followed closely behind by a whoop of utter joy.

"DO YOU MEAN IT?" he asked, dropping the box as his hands gently gripped her shoulders. "We're going to have a baby? A little lad or lass of our very own?"

"Oin assured me of this two weeks ago, but I wanted to wait to tell you today," she grinned, elated by his reaction to the news. "It nearly killed me to keep it a secret, but I couldn't think of any better gift to give you than this."

"It's the best gift ever!" he laughed, taking her in his arms as he held her tight, uttering words of disbelief and joy the whole time. He then pulled back and stared at her in amazement. "When? When can we expect our son or daughter to arrive?"

"In about eight months, assuming Oin is correct about me being two months along right now," she informed him.

"That's not much time!" Fili gasped, his hands going to his head in shock. "We have so much to do, so much to prepare for! And names, we will need to think of names! What if I'm a horrible father? I have no idea what I should do!"

"Try calming down, for starters," Jade ordered, not wanting him to spiral into hysterics. "You will be a wonderful father, and we still have more than enough time to prepare for the arrival of our little one. It's not as if we won't have a whole mountain of dwarves willing to aid us at every turn." She gave a little laugh. "In fact, one word to your mother alone and I'm willing to bet everything will be well in hand."

"Amad!" Fili grinned widely. "She'll be overjoyed at this news! And Kili…he will be an uncle, and Thorin a great-uncle!"

"And Tauriel will be an aunt," Jade added. "Though, I have a sneaky suspicion that soon enough _she_ will be a mother herself."

"WHAT?" Fili gasped. "Kili and Tauriel? How do you know?"

"Females can tell these things," she assured him, yet knowing full well that the elf herself had confided in her just the other day, wishing to share the same news as Jade had with her own husband. "Just make sure you act surprised when Kili tells you, alright. You don't want to spoil his announcement."

"I will be the picture of shock and awe, I promise!" he swore, holding up his hand in a gesture of proof. "But now…back to our baby! Are you alright? Not having any troubles or morning sickness?"

"Not yet," she answered. "Though Oin says that it could still happen during the first five months…so you might have to hold my hair a time or two if my stomach gets upset."

"I will do so gladly and with pride," he told her. "But in the meantime…are we allowed to…well, _you know?"_

"Of course we are, silly," she said with a playful swat to his chest. "These are not the dark days when a dam was sequestered away from everyone, even her husband, during her pregnancy. We just have to be careful and not get _too_ carried away."

"I'm all for that," Fili grinned wickedly. "In fact…how about we celebrate right now, before my brother comes banging at our door with his own good news!"

"I thought you would never ask," Jade giggled, grabbing hold of the braids at the side of his head and pulling him down with her onto the bed. Yet, before she had a chance to bring his lips to hers, he pulled back.

"Wait," he begged, looking a bit embarrassed as he slipped from her grasp and wiggled off the bed. He then hurried over to where the portraits sat, and very carefully turned them both around until they were facing the wall, effectively hiding their judgmental eyes from what was about to take place. "I promise that I will hang these out in the main room as soon as possible, but right now, I really don't want them staring at us."

"I completely agree," she chuckled, reaching out her hand to him in an invitation to return to the bed. Yet, her brows furrowed as she saw him pause, looking at her with the oddest expression on his face. "What?"

"I was just thinking," he grinned, walking slowly over as he took her outstretched hand. " _This_ is the very place I first laid eyes on you. In my bed. And I have to say, you look just as lovely now as you did back then. No…even _more_ beautiful, because this time I know your name, _why_ you are here, and that you are carrying my child." Here he climbed in beside her and took her in his arms. "And the best thing is…I never have to wonder who's been sleeping in my bed ever again."

"Because it will always be me," she finished, pulling him down until her lips met his, the kiss sealing their love for all time.

 **THE END**

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 **And there you have it. The happy ending I promised you all.**

 **I'm sorry that I didn't go into more detail about the wedding and the year that happened afterwards, but this was supposed to be a shorter story...not a repeat of Little Son of Durin. ha ha.**

 **I hope you liked their gifts to each other, it's always hard to dream up sentimental presents, but I think these worked out just fine. ha ha.**

 **Thanks again for ALL your kind words and for reading my story. Please leave one final review and send me off with a smile. It might motivate me to write another Fili fic even faster! Until then...I wish you many safe and unexpected journeys.**

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 **Guest Reviews:**

For any who leave a review for THIS last chapter...do check back here in about **three days**. I will be adding on my replies to them at the end and re-posting this chapter with the update. This way, I get to say thanks and farewell to you too.

~X~

 **Desert:** Yep, I have a contract with the tooth fairy, and I get a kick back from all the teeth she collects due to all the tooth rotting sweetness my fan fictions generate. ha ha. I'm not rich yet, but the coins are piling up . Thanks.

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Of course Dis was the one to step in and solve all the problems. Thorin should find a way to bottle her smarts and sell it. He would soon have two mountains of gold! ha ha. Glad you liked the bonus chapter...I do hate keeping people waiting. Thanks!

 **Nala:** I'm happy that Lord Baldar is growing on you. He is a very kind dwarf...who makes mistakes, but is sorry. I thought after leaving you on a sad cliffie, you all DID deserve the happy ending chapter right away. No one likes being left in the lurch. As nice as his other gifts were, I think the knives he gave her first will also be the gift she uses the most, right? Yep, they are together at last...and will be forever now. Thanks.

 **Travelbug:** I hope you didn't short circuit your computer by crying into it! Then you wouldn't have been able to read the next chapter! But I see you did, so I'm going to assume all is well. And you are very welcome for the Bonus chapter. You deserved it. And Dis IS the only Durin who can formulate a plan, execute the plan, and then have it turn out good! She needs to give lessons. Thanks.

 **Guest B:** I did take you on a roller-coaster ride of emotions in the last two chapters! Hope you didn't get sick from all the ups and downs. But yes, I did "Fix It" and I didn't drag it out. Dis would not have stood for THAT...and I'm just as afraid of her as the rest of the Durins are! Thanks.

 **Emrfangirl:** *T.O.W.G. pats herself on the back for getting a 'good author'* Thanks, I needed that. ha ha. And I don't see why they couldn't just tape the contract back together again...who needs to spend the time re-writing it? Ori has enough to do with printing the wedding invitations now! And you can bet that Fili will indeed be putting that marriage bead in Jade's hair! Thanks.

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 **Responses to Guest Reviews for Chapter 30**

 **Emrfangirl:** I'm glad you liked the idea of the portraits. I find it sad to think that memory is all most had to remember people by in Middle Earth. So portraits of her parents seemed the way to go. And I'm with Fili...having her parents judging eyes on then when in bed is NOT something he was going to stand for. They had to face the wall. I could get on board with the whole Bilbo and Dis ban-wagon too. They would make a cute couple. I too love fast updates (hint hint to all out there whose story I'm following) since I have no self control and can't wait to post quickly. I have one more Fili story in my head, and when I get done with the short story I am writing over in the Phantom of the Opera forum, I hope to be back and see if that one can be written. Thanks again for ALL your wonderful reviews and sweet words. T.O.W.G.

 **Guest:** You know, the fact that Fili is a fictional character could have something to do with how great he is...we can write him as wonderful as we want. Too bad we can't package the cute little dwarf and sell him to all us fangirls. ha ha. As long as Middle Earth has flush toilets and central heating, I could live there too. I'm soft. ha ha. Thanks for your kind review!

 **Aranel Mereneth:** Sorry, I told you that those puppy dog eyes like Kili's only works once. I don't see me writing any more on this story, even if it was to see how Fili and Kili are such great dads, and how Thorin turned into a pool of jello over the little babies, or how Dis was the best grandmother ever and spoiled them rotten. ha ha. Just imagine it...ahhhhhh, so cute. Wow, read Enthralled all in one day? Speed reader you are! And yes, it was a bit of a stretch for me as well, with our boys being a bit out of character...and tall...and Vikings. ha ha. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. As I said above in another review...I do have one more Fili story in my mind fighting to come out. We will see how long it takes to get it written. But keep an eye out. As always, thanks a bunch! T.O.W.G.

 **Guest B:** Wow, gunna re-read it? I'm flattered! I do have three other Hobbit stories...if you haven't read them, that is. That could keep you busy. Or if you happen to like Phantom of the Opera, I have half a dozen finished stories over there under the name "Fantomphan33". BUT, I do plan on starting on a new Fili story soon...after I rest my fingers for a few days, that is. ha ha. And as for writing back...well YOU took the time to leave ME a review, I would be rude not to respond back! And I love talking with my readers! So thanks and hope to see you again! T.O.W.G.

 **Travelbug:** Glad you liked the ending! I always struggle and worry about those, wanting them to come off just perfect and not leave anyone hanging. You know, I HAVE come up with a few ideas for a OC 'on the journey' tale...but I've never dreamed up enough of it to be a viable story. ha ha. But thanks for the vote of confidence that I could write one. I won't say never...just maybe not right now. I do hope you enjoy whatever it is I come up with next though, and I look forward to seeing you again when I do. Thanks so much! T.O.W.G.

 **dojoson41:** Yep, Fili did indeed need to get off his royal arse and do something. ha ha. Thankfully he did. And why would I feel bad about you liking one of my stories over another? I'm just tickled I made the cut! ha ha. Thanks! T.O.W.G.

 **Nala:** I won't say I don't disagree...but I just couldn't think of anything more to add in, and I didn't want to go into major detail with the wedding, honeymoon, trip to Grey Mountains, etc. That would have made the story far too long! But I do see your point. Still, I hope most are satisfied with the end. I'm glad you are a sucker for happy endings, me too! Since why bother writing a sad story? I dont' want to read THAT! I really appreciate all your kind reviews, and thanks for reading my story. Until next time! T.O.W.G.


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